Here We Go Again
by auslly4eva22
Summary: My own personal squeal to Teen Beach Movie! Mack and Brady survived 1962, but can Lela, Tanner and the gang survive 2013? Parings: MackXBrady, LelaXTanner, CheeCheeXSeaCat , GigglesXButchy, StrutsXOC
1. Suprise Visitors

**Hey guys! So this my fanfiction on my newobsession. Please review! **

Chapter One: **  
**

Mack's P.O.V

"Hey, there's the mannequin with six rows of teeth!" Brady called, and I couldn't help but giggle at his reference to my first opinion of Tanner as the tanned surfer himself waltzed on screen.

"I'm Brady, your night in shinning board shorts." I laughed, doing my best imitation of the dialogue I'd overheard that night Lela fell into Brady.

"That's a really long last name." Brady sighed, imitating Lela.

By now we were both close to tears, cuddling up so close I could hear Brady's chest vibrate as he laughed.

I sharp gasp made us stop and turn our heads.

My grandfather stood directly behind the couch, his eyes wide at the TV.

"Mack darling, are you _actually _watching Wet Side Story?"

I shot my boyfriend a knowing smile that he instantly returned.

"Yeah." I giggled. "Maybe it isn't so silly after all."

Grandpa took a step back.

"Brady." He smiled. "You're a miracle worker."

Brady winked.

"I do try."

"Do you mind if I join you?" Grandpa asked, motioning towards the empty armchair.

"Course not."

"Not at all." Brady and I agreed.

Grandpa took his seat and Brady wrapped his arms around me a little tighter. I bit my lip hard and tried not to laugh as Meant To Be played. I watched Tanner serenade the black haired beauty who's necklace I was still wearing.

"Oh." I whispered when the song had finished. "So that's how that song was supposed to go..."

My thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the door.

"I'll get it."

I kicked the blanket Brady and I were lying on back and rolled on the couch, sleepily stumbling to my feet. It was only three in the afternoon but it was kind of funny, it was almost like being jet lag.

The time difference between Wet Side Story and reality had made us very tried.

I yawned and rubbed my eyes.

But when I opened the door I instantly jolted awake.

Immediately I turned back to the living room. Grandpa had fallen asleep and Brady's eyes were still fixed on the TV.

Which was playing Wet Side Story.

"Crap!" I cursed aloud. I raced to the couch and picked up the remote, turning it off before my surprise guest had time to see it.

"What did you-" Brady's face fell when he saw the girl at the door.

Her jet black hair was in its signature style, teased and bundled high above her head. She was loudly chewing gum and her lips were painted a bright cherry red that matched the colour of her long sleeved top. She wore a leather vest and matching skin tight pants, her feet hidden in her tall black boots.

Her smoky eyes were stunned and I could tell she was just as surprised to see us as we were to see her.

"Mack? Brady?" She put her hands on my shoulders and ran them up and down my arms, as if checking I wasn't just a figure of her imagination.

"Chee Chee what are you doing here?" Brady recoiled off the couch. Grandpa began to stir.

"Outside!" I hissed.

Brady grabbed Chee Chee's wrist and dragged her outside, slamming the door behind him just as Grandpa woke up.

"What happened to the movie? Where's Brady?" He was mumbling which told me he was still half asleep.

"You slept through the movie." I tried. "And Brady went to the beach. I was actually just going to join him so... Bye!"

Before he had time to protest I grabbed my surfboard from its place beside the door and bolted to join my boyfriend and our visitor from 1962.

"Mack!"

I was greeted with a high pitch squeal as soon as I stepped out onto the sand.

"Lela?!" I half yelled, half questioned. "You're here to?"

Lela threw her arms around me.

"We tried to follow you guys, to y'know, see where ya's live." Chee Chee drawled.

"And then this massive wave crashed and we all-"

"All?" Brady cut the Lela off.

There was more?

"Lela, how many people from Wet Side Story are here?" I asked desperately.

Lela and Chee Chee both puzzled there expression and I wanted to kick myself.

"I mean… uh…" I couldn't think of anything to cover my slip.

"Ignore Mack." Brady jumped in. "What she meant was, how many people do you mean when you say 'us all'?"

Lela did a quick calculation on her fingers.

"Seven." She announced, seeming proud, but her smile faded when she noticed my expression.

"Oh did I get it wrong?" She asked softly. "I'm sorry I'm not very good at maths it's just-"

Once again, Brady cut off the bikers useless babble.

"Lela, who else is here?" He demanded.

"Me, Lela, Butchy, Giggles, Tanner, Seacat and Rascal." Chee Chee answered for her, ticking the names off on her fingers.

"Oh and me." She answered, supporting it with her signature giggle. She returned to her fingers and frowned.

"Wait that's eight."

"Oh you said me twice." Lela corrected.

"Oh."

And there was that freaking annoying giggle again.

"Ok this is not going anywhere!" I practically screamed.

"Where are the others?" Brady sounded close to begging.

"How should we know?" Chee Chee snapped. "We went to find help didn't we?"

"Yeah and you conveniently knocked on our door." Brady giggled at the irony of it but shut up when he saw the glare I was shooting him.

"Ok we need to find everyone else." He sighed.

I threw my arms up.

"Well thankyou Captain Duh!"

"Then we're going to need to find a way to get you guys out of here." He added.

"Hey I found two!" Lela squealed, jumping up.

I flicked my head to see Struts and Lugnut racing towards us. Brady raised an eyebrow.

"I don't remember you mentioning those two."

Lela bit her pinky nail and Chee Chee twirled her hair.

"Hey! The blonde one's right." She squeaked. "Them didn't come with us."

"You have got to be kidding me!" I yelled.

Brady, Chee Chee and Layla flinched at the volume in my voice. I even surprised myself a little.

"Sorry." I mumbled. "It's just now we have nine of you to get home. Seven was going to be hard enough."

"Mack?" Struts cried.

"Brady!" Lugnut followed.

"Struts!" Chee Chee joined in.

"Lugnut!" Lela squealed.

"Mack!" Brady called. I rolled my eyes but then realised he was seriously calling me. He was motioning for me to step away from the group.

Chee Chee and Lela were to busy catching Struts and Lugnut up to speed so they didn't notice out temporary absence as we momentarily slipped away.

"Mack there's another storm next week." He said, pulling out his phone and showing me the weather report.

"We just had a massive storm." I thought aloud. "How is that possible?"

"Magic." Brady smiled. I scowled.

"Seriously Mack. Maybe the universe knows Lela and Tanner and giggle gurt and the rest of em aren't suppose to be here and it's trying to fix it."

"And until then we..?"

Brady looked back at the four who were loudly talking although we couldn't make out the words, only that they sounded worried.

"Try to blend them in."

**Will update as soon as I get some reviews so please tell me if it was any good!**


	2. New Clothes and New Crushes

**Thanks for all the followers and favorites! It means a lot!**

Chapter Two:

Brady's P.O.V

I knocked on Mack's bedroom door for around the fiftieth time.

"Hurry up!" Tanner cried.

The door opened a tiny bit and Mack stuck her head out.

"We're coming!" She snapped.

"You were 'coming' forty-five minutes ago!" Butchy yelled.

Mack frowned.

"Well do you want to come in here and deal with these girls?" She snarled.

Butchy blinked.

"Didn't think so!" And with that she disappeared and slammed the door behind her.

About five hours had passed since we'd found all nine Wet Side Story characters and we'd come up with something that sort of represented a plan.

We'd had to hide our friends from Mack's grandfather for about an hour until he left. He had a funeral for an old friend on the other side of the country and was going to be gone for the next five days. He'd be back three days before the storm. We weren't sure what we were going to do over those three days but we'd work that out when we came to it.

We'd spent the next three or so hours catching the team up to speed, what's changed in the world since their time. Fashion, technology, slang, food, education, hobbies, women's rights (that one took quite a while since super feminist McKenzie refused to move on from the topic until Lela, Struts, Chee Chee and Giggles understood that there was nothing wrong with girls making the first move and in this day and age females were completely equal to the males) pretty much everything that had changed between the time space of 1962 and 2013.

After that Mack took the girls into her room and I took the guys back to my place and we dressed them in modern clothes. It had taken us a total of fifteen minutes to walk from Mack's place to mine, get the boys changed and walk back over here.

It had been almost an hour since the girls had locked themselves away in the Mack's room.

"I don't mean to rush you." SeaCat said, leaning up against the door. "But if its ok with you, I would like to be done here before it's this year in _our _time."

Finally, the door opened all the way and Mack emerged first, obviously beyond thrilled to be done dressing fussy sixties girl.

After her came Lela, dressed in one of Mack's light green floral dresses and ankle boots. Chee Chee wore a basic light green t-shirt I'd seen Mack in many times and tight skinny jeans with flip flops. I almost didn't recognize her without her teased to breaking point bundle of hair on top of her head and overdone make-up. Now, her jet black hair fell loosely around her shoulders.

Struts didn't look overly different. She was still popping huge bubbles of gum and I was 99% sure her tight leather pants were the ones she'd come here in. But she'd matched them with Mack's purple long sleeve and the fury vest Mack's Aunt gave her as a gift but she never wore. Her feet were in Mack's favorite slip on's.

Finally Giggles appeared, her blonde hair glamorously flowing around the strapless medium blue mini dress and cream high heels. I tried not to chuckle as I watched her flawlessly strut in those shoes. I remember buying those heels for Mack when we'd just started dating, before I'd really gotten to know her. She'd accepted them to be polite and tried to wear them out to dinner with me but she'd kept tripping over. I'd never buy her anything like that now, but it meant a lot that she'd kept the heels. I suppose even though she never wore them they had memories that she didn't want to part with. That night after she'd finally confessed she hated the shoes and heels weren't her thing, she put on a fake modeling show for me on the porch, strutting up and down her porch, tripping over every four seconds.

I'd never laughed harder in my life.

"And that's how you rock heels." I laughed.

Mack folded her arms across her chest and told me to shut up, but she had an undeniable smirk on her lips.

Without a doubt Giggles looked the best. The dress sat perfectly on her and showed off all her curves. The heels made her gorgeous legs even sexier. I'd never seen her in anything other than swimwear.

She looked totally flawless.

None of the boys could help but stare, not even Tanner or I could help taking in her beauty and we were both in happy relationships.

Giggles seemed completely oblivious to the attention she was attracting, to mesmerized by her own reflection in the hall mirror.

After a few moments Tanner lost interest, turning to Lela and showering her in kisses and compliments. SeaCat and Rascal began a conversation about something that was no doubt pointless and Lugnut moved over to stand beside Giggles, prying his eyes away from Giggles and to his own reflection.

But Butchy didn't even blink.

His jaw hung as wide as his eyes that were full of admiration. I exchanged a glance with Mack and I could tell we were thinking the same thing.

"We'll be right back." Mack announced, pulling me away.

"Oh my gosh!" She said in a loud whisper once we were alone. "Butchy totally-"

"-has a crush on Giggles!" I finished for her. Mack's face turned sour.

"I just realized something." She said suddenly. "Will people recognize these guys from Wet Side Story?"

I hadn't thought about that until then. An idea hit me.

"Not if we rename them!"

Mack nodded.

"Ok. So tonight we have to rename these guys and… " she smirked and I knew where she was going.

"…play matchmaker with Butchy and Giggles!"

Mack clapped her hands excitedly.

"Let's do it!"

**I love feedback so please review and thankyou so much for all the reads! Xxxx **


	3. Mack: Matchmaker Extraordinaire

Chapter Three:

Mack's P.O.V

Later that same night the eleven of us sat in the longue room, the Wet Side Story gang ogling at our massive modern TV and furniture. Tanner and Brady sat on the couch and Lela and I sat in their laps, Chee Chee and Struts were skinny enough to share one arm chair, Butchy was slumped over the other armchair and the rest had made themselves comfortable on the floor.

We were eating take-away pizza and discussing new names for the team. We'd crafted the lie that they're names were to old fashion, since we couldn't exactly tell them if they introduced themselves as Tanner or Struts or Giggles people would automatically know where they're from.

Eventually we'd decided Lela was Lucy, Tanner was Max, Giggles was Mel, Chee Chee was Kristy, Struts was Justine, SeaCat was Lachlan, Lugnut was Matthew, Butchy was Drake and Rascal was Luke.

"And remember, you only have to use these names when you address each other in public or when a stranger asks you what your name is. Don't go around casually introducing yourself to randoms. We need to get you home in a week and it isn't going to help if you've formed relationships with half of California." I instructed sternly.

SeaCat scooted across the floor and over to the DVD cabinet.

"Sweet." He cooed. "Can I check out the 21st century movies?"

"NO!" Brady and I yelled at the same time.

"I mean… sure? After dinner though." Brady tried to cover.

The truth of course, was that Wet Side Story was in there. It was hard enough trying to explain to these guys we were from the future. I can't even imaging attempting to tell them they were all just fictional characters in a movie.

Thankfully, after dinner we managed to distract them by showing them how to work Brady's iPhone and playing them the modern day music. Being characters from Wet Side Story, the immediately took the open space in my house between the kitchen and the living room and turned it into a dance floor. Tanner spun Lela around in circles, SeaCat and Rascal started with some random dance moves over in the corner, over near the front door Giggles, Struts and Chee Chee were laughing and dancing in a small circle, and Lugnut and Butcy stood in the center of the space. Lugnut seemed to be getting seriously into it, but Butchy's moves were small and settle, like an embarrassed school kid being forced to participate in the school dance.

But there was no embarrassment on his face. Only admiration.

His eyes never once left Giggles. He watched her twirl and move and shake her hips. The rest of the room seemed to be oblivious to this, but Brady and I watched from the lounge room in delight.

"I've got this." I whispered to my boyfriend.

I jumped over the couch and slid across the floor.

"Excuse me Lugnut." I said, taking Butchy's arm. "But I need a private moment with Butchy."

And with that I dragged him outside and onto the porch that was lit up by the moonlight and supported with a cool breeze.

"So Butchy." I said, taking in the stars. "How are the bikers and surfers getting along?"

Butchy shrugged.

"I try to tolerate them, but I'll be honest with you, you're the only surfer I really like."

I tossed my brunette hair behind my shoulder.

"And what about Tanner and Brady?"

Again, Butchy shrugged.

"Brady's ok. I guess I have to put up with Tanner cause Lela loves him."

Here goes nothing.

"And Giggles? She seems really nice. Do you get along with her?"

This time, Butchy just laughed.

"That blonde bimbo? As if! She's the worst of the lot! I can't believe you would ever suggest me getting along with her. She thinks she's so great for no reason other than the fact that she has the prettiest hair I've ever seen and a gorgeous golden tan that makes her glow. And she has those piercing blue eyes that sparkle more than the ocean on a super sunny day. And did I mention her stunning body or her perfect curves?… she's just…" Butchy trailed off when her realized how I was looking at him.

"…so full of herself!" He finished, snapping back to his I hate Giggles act. "And really, all her perfect aspects are no reason for it, wouldn't you agree?"

I widened my eyes with pretend shock.

"Butchy, do you _like_ Giggles?" I asked as if I didn't already know.

Butchy sighed and waved a threatening finger at me.

"I swear to god Mack, if you tell anyone-"

"Relax." I laughed, pushing his finger away. "You're secret is safe with me."

He inhaled sharply a mumbled a thankyou.

Now time to step it up.

"Now that you've shared a secret with me, I think I should share one with you."

Butchy rolled his eyes and headed for the door.

"That's cool Mack. I really don't care."

I bit my lip.

"It's about Giggles." I sing-songed.

Butchy looked around, as if double checking we were alone.

"Fine." He said gruffly, even though I could see it in his eyes he really wanted to hear the secret I was about to make up.

"She likes you to." I lied. "She confessed to me while we were in my room."

Ok, so maybe I was stretching the truth. But Giggles was a predictable 1962 surfer. She'd totally fall for Butchy if she knew he had feelings for her.

Butchy's eyes widened again.

"She does?!"

I nodded.

"And I think you should ask her to dance." I suggested.

Butchy nodded and smoothed back his hair.

"How do I look?" He asked, straightening his jacket.

"Perfect." I assured and we bolted back inside.

"How'd it go?" Brady asked, gleams of excitement in his eyes when I returned to him.

"You tell me." I said, pointing in Giggles' direction.

Butchy was leading Giggles by the hand away from Chee Chee and Struts, who were happily giggling uncontrollably at the sight of romance.

Brady high-fived me.

"You're a genius." He praised.

"And that's why the call me Mack; Matchmaker Extraordinaire." I said dramatically.

"Since when do people call you that?" Brady raised an eyebrow.

"Since five seconds ago when I deemed myself it." I smiled.

Brady winked at me and slid his hand into mine.

"Then, miss matchmaker extraordinaire, may I have this dance?"

And with that we joined the insane mini party taking place in my home.

**Thanks so much for all the followers and favorites! I shall update with two reviews!**


	4. Sharing bedrooms and secrets

**Ok I decided to post a second chapter in one day because I got many more reviews then I asked for and the follows and favorites are going up and up, plus I really like writing this story so I felt like writing a new chapter. So… enjoy!**

Chapter Four:

Brady's P.O.V

"Ok people." Mack tiredly stumbled over to my phone and flicked off the music, much to everyone's disappointment.

"It's midnight. I think we should probably go to sleep."

A mutual groan rose from the large group and Mack placed her hands on her hips.

"I'm serious." She said firmly. She pointed towards the couch.

"Lela, Tanner, that couch folds out into a bed. You can sleep there. There's blankets in the cupboard." She told them, signaling towards the hallway cupboard.

"Butchy and Lugnut, you guys can take my grandfather's room. SeaCat and Rascal can take the guest room and there's a blow-up mattress I'll set up on my bedroom floor. Its big enough for Chee Chee, Struts and Giggles. Brady can sleep in my bed with me. Any questions? No? Good."

I couldn't help but chuckle at the fact that she'd concluded there were no questions before she'd actually given anyone a chance to ask. She proceeded to unfold the couch and help Lela and Tanner set their bed up while I grabbed the inflatable mattress and pump and lead the girls to Mack's room.

I defiantly wasn't much for over-complicated girly gossip sessions, but as I pumped air into the mattress I couldn't help but jump at the opportunity when I overheard the girls talking about how Giggles and Butchy had shared three dances.

"Yeah, what do you think of Butchy, Giggles?" I tried to sound casual.

Giggles tossed her hair behind her shoulders and twisted her lips.

"He's nice." She said finally.

Not romantic. Not cute. Not funny. Not sweet. _Nice. _

"That's all?" I confirmed.

Giggle picked at the hem of her mini dress.

"Yeah." She said finally. "I don't think he's interested in being anymore then friends but it was still nice to dance with him"

My mind flashed back to how proud Mack had seemed when Butchy and Giggles had agreed to dance. Maybe she'd misread the signs. Maybe Butchy seriously was only interested in Giggles as a friend but just didn't know how to say it considering he was supposed to be the tough Rodent leader who didn't cooperate with surfers.

"Well are you Chicka?" Chee Chee piped.

The Wet Side Story females had certainly demolished the biker-surfer rivalry. Since they'd arrived earlier today I hadn't seen Lela, Chee Chee, Struts and Giggles act like anything other than best friends.

Giggles screwed up her nose and shook her head.

"Not really." She admitted. "He's not really my type."

Struts playfully shoved Giggles.

"Oh, you have a type?" She teased.

The mattress finished filling with air and Mack appeared in the room, a fresh bundle of blankets and pillows in her arms.

"Ok." She breathed, dumping the pile in the center of the mattress.

She fussed through her pajama draw.

"The boys will have to put up with sleeping in clothes for tonight." She said through a yawn. She waved a pink nightgown around.

"I'm going to take this down for Lela. Help yourself to pajamas." And with that she disappeared out the door again.

Chee Chee took a plain grey nightgown, Struts took a black singlet and grey trackies and Giggle took a pair of loose shorts a dark pink t-shirt and they left the room to get change while I struggled with their sheets.

Mack returned before the others did and quickly changed into a casual purple nightgown. Once the other girls came back we made sure they were comfortable and settled before I pulled Mack out for a private word before we went to sleep ourselves.

Mack leant up against her bedroom door and yawned again.

"What Brady?" She mumbled. "I want to go to bed."

"Giggles doesn't like Butchy as more than an friend!" I hushed.

Mack rubbed her eyes.

"And she doesn't think Butchy likes her either." I added.

Mack shook her head.

"That's ridiculous." She announced. "You should have heard the way he talked about her."

A tiny cough made us jump and spin around.

Lela stood dressed in Mack's pajamas, a sheepish look on her face.

"Hey Lela." Mack whispered. "Are you ok?"

Lela moved closer to us.

"Can you keep a secret?" She asked in a whisper.

"Of course."

"Absolutely."

Her checks began to redden.

"I can't fall asleep without a stuffed toy." She admitted, obviously overly embarrassed. Mack smiled and wrapped her arms around Lela's shoulders.

"Wait here. I'll be right back."

Mack tiptoed down the hall to her Grandpa's room and slipped inside.

"What were you guys talking about?" It was very clear Lela cared more about changing the subject then she did about actually knowing the subject of mine and Macks's conversation.

"I heard my brother's name." She added.

"Ok." I laughed. "Your turn to keep a secret."

Lela's eyes brightened and she nodded.

"I promise."

I peered back into my girlfriend's room. The girls were all sound asleep.

"Your brother likes Giggles."

Lela tilted her head to the side.

"Of course her does." She giggled. "The surfers and bikers are friends now."

I shook my head.

"No Lela." I said. "You're brother _likes_ Giggles."

Lela gasped.

"Oh my gosh!" She squealed.

"Shhhh!" I hushed her.

"Sorry." She giggled.

We turned our heads towards footsteps coming down the hall. Mack held a teddy bear in her hands. He had a slight tear in his neck and MACK was sewn in yellow letters along his stomach.

"My Aunt gave this to me when I was really little." She explained, holding it out. "You can have him for this week if you want."

Lela smiled and hugged the bear, then Mack.

"Thankyou Mack." She gushed. "And goodnight Brady."

"Goodnight Lela." I returned.

**Three reviews for an update!**


	5. Just Another Casual Morning

**Hi guys so before I start this chapter I just wanted to tell you a quick story, it's pretty funny. I was being lazy and thinking I really had to update but I couldn't be bothered so my brother was all like its ok I'll write the chapter I have the perfect plan and this was his plan: **

**Butchy and Giggles fall helplessly in love **

**Butchy is killed in a tragic biking accident **

**Giggles drowns herself because her lover is dead**

**Tanner kills himself because his two best friends are dead**

**Mack kills herself for no reason **

**At this point I felt I had to ask where Lela was during all this, to which he responded Lela was feeling sick and was simply resting in bed, then continued with his plan**

**After this Chee Chee kills herself because she was secretly in love with Butchy**

**Lugnut kills himself because he was secretly in love with Chee Chee **

**Struts dies because she blew a bubble so big she suffocated herself**

**So then I turned around and said y'know what Mason thankyou so much for that wonderful offer but I think my laziness is gone I'll write the chapter myself and he said will you at least incorporate some of my ideas? Umm sure Mason….. **

**Haha anyway on with the chapter. Oh and let me know in the reviews if you think I should use any of my brothers…. Well… let's just call them 'unique' ideas…. Lol Xxxx enjoy this chapter. And don't worry, I wrote it NOT my brother. **

Chapter Five:

The morning light streamed in through the window, waking me up. Brady was still sound asleep and I didn't wake him, after all, it was only 8am on a Sunday according to the time on my phone. Not that it being Sunday really meant anything, it was school holidays. Besides I had to go and play a game of round up the sixties teens.

I couldn't help but notice how adorable Brady looked when he slept. His blonde hair was spilled all over his face and his eyes were gently shut, crinkles in his face showing his dimples. I leaned over and planted a kiss on his cheek and climbed out of bed.

Chee Chee and Struts were still contently sleeping but Giggles was gone, which didn't surprise me. She was a surfer, which probably meant she was used to getting up at the crack of dawn regardless to how late she stayed up the previous night.

I gently shook the biker girls awake. They sleepily rolled off the mattress and I told them to go to the kitchen and help themselves to cereal or toast. Next I went into the guest room. It was vacant. And since it was being accommodated by SeaCat and Rascal, two surfers, once again I wasn't surprised.

I woke Butchy and Lugnut up and they followed me down to the kitchen, where Tanner stood, cooking bacon and eggs on the fry pan. He beamed when he saw me and walked over to kiss me on the cheek.

"Morning Mack." He said cheerfully. He turned back to the kitchen were Chee Chee and Mack sat at the breakfast bar, looking half asleep and half laughed at the fry pan.

"I hope you don't mind. I kind of felt like I should do something to thank you for letting us stay."

I smiled.

"Well thankyou. I love bacon and eggs."

Walking over to the couch I giggled at the adorable sight. Lela was curled in a ball, my teddy bear wedged under her arm. I silently preyed no one had seen her this morning, for her own sake. She seemed really embarrassed about her secret need for a comfort toy at night; I'd hate it if the others found out.

She woke with a start after some gentle nudging and quickly hid my bear under her pillow.

"What's that smell?" She asked sleepily.

"Breakfast." Tanner smiled.

Lela walked over to her boyfriend and he greeted her with a good morning kiss on the lips and wrapped one arm around her, the other gripping the spatula.

"Where are the surfers?" I asked, suddenly noting their absence.

"We hit up the beach this morning." Tanner explained. "They're still down there though. Should be back any second."

And right on cue, Rascal, SeaCat and Giggles waltzed through the front door with a chorus of 'hi's' and 'good morning's' and 'I'm hungry's'. I burst out laughing at the irony of the situation, but my laughter was misplaced around my peers. I couldn't see why no one else found it funny until I realized there from a world where everything was set up perfectly. It was nothing abnormal to say someone will be here any second and have them appear right at that exact moment.

Chee Chee snapped out of her sleepy trance like state as SeaCat walked past. He noticed her and flinched a little, and they shared a gaze that only lasted for a second before the both broke away. No one else picked up on this, although this strange exchange certainly hadn't fallen astray on Lela, who eyed them both suspiciously.

I skipped back to my bedroom and forced a reluctant Brady out of bed.

We'd barley made it out of my room before Lela appeared out of nowhere, shoved us back inside and shut the door, triple checking it was locked.

"We need to talk about Butchy and Giggles." She said with a smile.

How did _she _know about that?

I shot Brady a look and he rubbed the back of his neck and avoided my eye contact, confirming my suspicions that he told her. Not that I really cared if Lela knew, I just didn't like breaking my promises to people, and I had sworn to Butchy I wouldn't tell. Although technically my conscious was clear. After all it was Brady who spilled the beans.

"You were so right." She piped. "He couldn't keep his eyes off her when she walked back in."

Brady chewed the end of his thumb.

"We have a problem though." He confessed. "Giggles doesn't feel the same way."

Lela was clearly shocked.

"No! She has to! They'd be the perfect couple!"

Suddenly, her chocolate brown eyes sparked.

"I have a plan!" She cried.

Brady and I listened contently to her plan. It was possibly the craziest, most insane, totally unrealistic plan to get Giggles and Butchy together. It was also far-fetched and romantic to a fantasy point.

But these guys lived in a world where everything was over dramatic and no one fell in love by simply walking up and having a conversation with someone of the opposite sex.

"Ok." I laughed. "Let's do it."

**Wanna know Lela's plan? All shall be revealed next chapter and chapter shall be posted as soon as this one receives four reviews so tell me what you thought!**

/+


	6. Steamy Sunsets

**Ok before I start this chapter PLEASE READ!**

**I have a competition for you! At the end of this chapter I am going to ask a trivia question about Teen Beach Movie. Write a review for this chapter and include your name, what you thought and the answer to the question. First correct answer will get a character named after them! **

**PLEASE NOTE: You MUST include your name as I can't name the new character after your username. Also, you can be male or female, I have a storyline created for both. Although due to all the unisex names please mention your gender as well, I'd hate to get it wrong. As well as the answer to the question don't forget to tell me what you thought of the chapter because I love feedback! Ok on with the story!**

**Also, I got a lot of reviews asking for more Mack and Brady so here you go, I hope you like it!**

Chapter Six:

Brady's P.O.V

The view was beyond amazing. The afternoon sun began to set over the water creating a postcard scene.

Earlier that day Mack and I had decided there was no point in keeping all nine of them locked under one roof to try and keep things less chaotic, they'd all end up wanting to kill each other.

So we decided to spend the day at the beach, swimming, playing in the sand, and as the afternoon neared, rocky seaside cliff. Around me most of the others had already climbed back down, aside from Lela, Giggles, Mack and I. Of course we were only up here to pursue Lela's insane idea. She was pointing out new things to Giggles, desperately trying to keep her from climbing back down until the right moment.

In the meantime I sat on the edge, my legs dangling over the side. Mack had her head on my lap, her body sprawled out along the edge as the sun neared closer and closer to the special second of pure beauty.

I began to play with her hair, pulling it out of its pony tail and running my fingers through it.

"The sunset is so gorgeous." She uttered, smiling up at me.

"Not as gorgeous as you." I laughed. She rolled her eyes. She hated cheesy compliments like that, even though I gave them to her on every occasion I got.

"I'm serious." I pursued.

Before she had a chance to call me corny or lame I covered her lips with me own and waited for her to push me away.

She didn't.

I wasn't sure if it the romantic atmosphere or having spent two days with nine of the most helpless romantics around but instead of pushing me off as she normally did when I tried to kiss her in public, she leant it and kiss me back, deepening it, edging her lips open.

Mack's lips had the most incredible power to make me completely oblivious to my surroundings. My thoughts mashed and melted together and then left my mind completely, freeing my brain of anything other than Mack.

Her beauty, her smile, her laugh, her quirky traits, the way she lit up when surfed and the way she won me anew every time she looked me in the eyes and told me she loved me. These were the only things floating around inside my head. Where we were or who might be watching seemed trivial and unimportant.

More than any other time, when I was kissing Mack, she was the only thing in the solar system that mattered.

Her lips broke away from mine as she pulled herself into an upright sitting position, rotated her hips around to face me and met my lips again with force, bowling me over. I laid there, four meters in the air, the breathtaking beach sunset in the backdrop with my incredible girlfriend laying on top of me, our hips and lips both attached and moving in rhythm. Our bodies collided to the point where I couldn't tell where mine started and hers ended… until Lela showed up.

It was a sharp, surprised intake of breath that finally forced me to think again. Mack rolled off me and we looked up to see Lela hovering over us, slightly shocked.

"Umm…. I'm really sorry… I…" Lela stumbled over her words.

"No its fine." Mack quickly jumped, fixing her top.

"What's up Lela?" I tried to show the annoyance that our perfect moment had just been ruined in my voice.

"Well there's about twenty seconds until sunset and Butchy's right underneath the cliff and Giggles is getting bored and I don't know how much longer I can entertain her. It's now or never."

I'd completely forgotten about the plan until then. Along with everything else including my own name.

"Oh ok." Mack said, quickly jumping to her feet and helping me up.

The three of us made our way across the cliff to where Giggles was standing by the edge on the other side.

Fifteen seconds until sundown.

We reached and she jumped in surprise at our hurry.

"Hi guys!" She chirped. "I was just studying the way down."

Ten seconds until sundown.

Lela grabbed her arm.

"No wait!"

Giggles sighed.

"What now Lela? What have I possibly not seen already?"

"The sunset! Its only a few seconds away."

Five seconds until sundown.

"Fine." Giggles reluctantly agreed.

Lela double checked Butchy was still where he needed to be.

Four seconds to sundown.

Butchy was leaning up against the base of the cliff, directly beneath us, talking to Lugnut.

Three seconds until sundown.

Luckily, as this plan required, there was a fair bit of space between Lugnut and Butchy.

Two seconds until sundown.

The three of us took a step closer to an unsuspecting Giggles, who was excitedly counting down the seconds.

One second to sunset.

A bright beautiful vast of purple and orange sprayed across the beach, and everyone turned and gasped at its beauty.

"Now!" Mack said in a loud whisper, and with that, Lela 'accidentally' bumped into Giggles, who was standing just a little too close to the edge.

"Butchy!" Lela screamed as Giggle fell.

Butchy snapped his attention to the blonde surfer who was falling four meters.

The sand was deep and soft and the cliff wasn't all that high, so if she did hit the ground it certainly wouldn't kill her, but it would be enough to break a bone.

This had to work.

And it did.

Without hesitation Butchy opened his arms and Giggles fell straight into them.

Mack grabbed my hand and squeezed it tight, and did the same with Lela. All of the other bikers and surfers had seen what had happened and were all staring. No one moved. No one even breathed. Everyone was waiting to see what would happen next.

"You saved my life." Giggles smiled.

That was exactly what Lela had said to me. Except, of course, Giggles fall was a lot more serious.

"Oh…" Butchy stuttered. "Did I?"

Giggles nodded.

"Mmm-hmmm."

Butchy laughed and Giggles looked down awkwardly.

"You can put me down now."

Butchy seemed to only just realize he was still holding his crush. Quickly, he placed her firmly on the ground.

"Sorry." He muttered apologetically.

Giggles tucked her sun bleached hair behind her hair.

The sun had set and the early evening sky was taking place.

Suddenly, Giggles broke Butchy's gaze and looked up at us.

"Mack, what time do you want us back at yours?" She yelled.

Mack laughed.

"No rush."

Giggles turned back to Butchy and slid her hand into his.

"Do you maybe wanna go for a walk?"

I wooped and Lela and Mack hi-fived.

Insane, dangerous, totally bonkers plan – successful!

**Ok guys here's the question: Who said;**

"**Has the spark come off your plug?" **

**Remember to include your name, gender AND your review on the chapter as well as the answer. Hope you enjoyed Xxxx the new character will come in next chapter so get those answers in! Will update for six reviews!**


	7. Mack: Matchmaker Extrodinaire Again

**First of all, sorry for not updating yesterday but it was my birthday so please forgive me. I had every intention of updating. My friends came over and we ate cake and watched Teen Beach Movie (even though my best friend Charlie hates it – because she has issues) but then we got in a water fight and ate heaps of junk food then I felt really sick so I didn't update. I am so sorry **

**On a positive note, congrats to Marissa! She was the first correct answer so the new character shall be named after her. Thanks for entering guys!**

Chapter Seven:

I breathed a sigh of heavy relief as I collapsed onto my bed with a book. For the first time since yesterday afternoon when Chee Chee had turned up on my doorstep, the house was completely peaceful.

Brady was having dinner with his family, as his comprise with them for being allowed to spend this week at my place was that he at least came home for dinner every night. Butchy and Giggles were still on the beach -the rest of us had left half an hour ago after teaching the two how to send a text with my old phone I lent them in case of an emergency- and Tanner had taken Lela out for dinner. Rascal and SeaCat were out surfing despite the fact night had now completely set and it was totally dark outside. As for Chee Chee, Struts and Lugnut, they were down stairs entertaining themselves with modern TV.

About half an hour passed before a knock at the front door interrupted my reading. I trotted to the front door and heaved it open.

Brady, a young girl and a tall guy who was admittedly quite cute stood on my porch.

The boy looked around nineteen and had golden sun tanned skin, slick hair the same dark shade as Lela's and soft hazel eyes. He stood shoeless and shirtless, his only articles of clothing being his slightly damp green board shorts and stripy towel, signs that he'd just come from the beach.

The girl who looked about fourteen, maybe fifteen, also appeared to have come straight from the beach. Her long chestnut hair was loose and wet and she was dressed in a neon pink bikini and light blue thongs.

I kissed Brady hello and raised my eyebrow at the two strangers.

"Brady, who are these people?" I asked, trying to keep a smile.

"This is Marissa and Tyler. They're siblings."

I nodded and continued to try and smile although I was a little frustrated at Brady. They're siblings, woopdey do! Lela and Butchy are siblings but I'm not sure how that affects these people's lives, so why does this brother and sister affect me?

Noticing I clearly wanted more, Brady continued talking.

"I ran into them on the beach. They're holidaying here with some friends but apparently they're friends took off and they can't find them. They asked to borrow my mobile but I left it here."

Not really knowing what to say, I side stepped, creating the gesture of allowing Marissa and Tyler to come in.

Marissa disappeared back outside with Brady's phone, but Tyler stayed and observed my grandfathers surfboards, complementing them.

I wasn't big on socializing with strangers, but grandpa was constantly reminding me that Brady had once been a stranger to me and if I hadn't spoken to him I would never have met the love of my life. So I tried to be smile and at least resemble a welcoming host.

"You're into surfing?"

Tyler smiled, flashing perfect white teeth.

"Hell yeah. You surf?"

I nodded.

"Yeah."

Tyler also nodded and I could feel the awkwardness of the situation getting thicker, so I simply excused myself and went to watch TV with the bikers until Marissa had finished her call.

As soon as I sat down, the first thing I noticed was Struts.

Ever since I'd turned on the TV around an hour ago, all three bikers had been absolutely glued. For Chee Chee and Lugnut, this was still very true, but Struts wasn't even acknowledging the TV anymore.

She was twisting her hair playfully around her finger and lightly giggling, her eyes following Tyler's every move.

I smiled to myself and quickly hoped off the up chair and moved over to Struts.

"Go talk to him." I whispered in her ear.

Struts looked at me like I'd just told her to go jump off a cliff into shark infested water.

"Are you crazy?" She hissed. "I'm a girl! I can't make the first move! Why ya think I'm being all flirtatious over here? I'm trying to get his attention!"

I rolled my eyes.

"Struts, I already explained this to you. In this year, it's just as common and perfectly ok for girls to talk to guys first."

Struts looked nervous.

"Go on." I encouraged.

"Come with me? I've never done this before." She pleaded.

I agreed and helped her up, then remembered something.

"Just remember you're not Struts, you're Justine." I reminded.

Struts thought for a second.

"Wait, didn't you say _not_ to go introducing ourselves to randoms?"

She was right. I did say that.

"Oh his cute that rule's broken!" I laughed.

Struts gave a little smile and I could see just how nervous she seriously was.

"Hey Tyler!" I called out, just as Marissa came back inside.

"Ok." Marissa giggled. "It was all just a big misunderstanding. They're gonna meet us back at the hotel in an hour. Let's go get some dinner Ty, I'm starving!"

I could see this disappointment flicker through Strut's eyes as Tyler thanked Brady and headed for the door with his sister.

"Wait!" I yelled, thinking fast. "Why don't you stay here for dinner?"

Marissa looked confused.

"But we don't even know you!" She protested.

Think. Think. Think.

"No. But I just had an awesome conversation with your brother and I'd love to continue it over dinner."

Now it was Tyler's turn to look confused.

"We… we did?"

No. We didn't. We had an awful conversation.

"Ah.. . yeah!" I tried to say it as though it were totally obvious. "You're into surfing and so am I. Brady loves to surf to. Do I need to say anything else?"

Marissa still looked unsure by Tyler beamed, then frowned at his sister scowl.

"Come on Mari. One dinner ain't gonna hurt."

Marissa checked her watch.

"But you promised we'd go looking for a trainer to teach me how to ride a motorcycle today!" She whined.

I looked and Struts and I could tell we were both thinking the same thing.

"I've been riding since I was five!" She exclaimed. She motioned towards Chee Chee and Lugnut. "And my friends Ch… ah… Kristy and Matthew, have been riding since they were little as well!"

Marissa let out a tiny squeal.

"I'm Marissa." She introduced herself to Struts.

"I'm Justine." Struts replied.

"Well I guess you're both staying for dinner…" Brady was still very confused about my sudden enthusiasm to make new friends.

"I would cook you a five star meal but I don't know how to cook…" I joked.

"Take-away it is!" Struts declared. She picked up the home phone to order Chinese, and as it was ringing, she turned and mouthed 'thankyou' to me.

I guess I seriously am Mack; matchmaker extraordinaire

**Congrats once more to Marissa. And Marissa in this story will be a regular character, I promise she isn't just a one time thing. Xxxx will update for seven reviews! **


	8. Ditching Dinner

**Once again, I do apologize for not updating but I was with my friends all weekend! **

**According to the reviews Mack and Brady are majorly in demand so I made this 100% total Mack and Brady!**

Chapter Eight:

Brady's P.O.V

We waited for the Chinese to be delivered while Chee Chee, Marissa and Lugnut talked motorbikes, and Struts, Tyler and Mack talked surfing. From what I could overhear of the conversation, Struts was suddenly all eager to learn to surf, which gave me a pretty good idea why Mack had invited the duo to stay.

Suddenly, Mack let out a tiny gasp and slapped her palm to her forehead.

"God I'm an idiot." She mumbled. "I completely forgot. Brady and I have to be somewhere tonight."

What was she going on with now?

"But…" She slyly winked in Struts direction. "You guys stay and have dinner with Justine, Kristy and Matthew."

It was obvious to see whatever interest Struts had in Tyler, he replicated. He didn't even look in Mack's direction, and nor did Marissa who was far more interested in hearing Chee Chee and Lugnut's stories. They both simply shrugged and murmured some agreement.

"I think I forgot about this place we have to be to." I laughed when Mack and I walked hand in hand out of her house. "Oh wait, that's right, I didn't even know about it!"

Mack gave me one of her signature eye rolls.

"I think you worked out that Struts was majorly crushing on Zac Effron junior over there. Like I want to hang around for dinner with random people."

I smiled and wrapped my arms around her shoulders.

"In that case, where are we going?"

As we talked we walked across the silver glowing moonlit beach.

She smirked.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" She teased.

Oh god.

"Mack, no." I said firmly. I hated it when she took me somewhere without telling me where we were going.

And I was ninety-nine percent sure that the fact it annoyed me was exactly why she did it.

"It's a surprise." She whispered, entwining her hand through mine.

"Mack!" I whined but all she did was giggle.

About fifteen minutes passed and the suspense was close to killing me.

"Give me a hint!" I pleaded. We were still walking along the beach, nothing hinting at wherever it was

Mack grinned.

It's somewhere in California."

"What?" I practically screamed, earning a laugh from my girlfriend. "That's not a hint!"

Mack pretended to look offended.

"Excuse me? You now know I'm not leading you to an airport and putting you on a plane to New York. You could have at least said thank you."

"Thank you!" I said sarcastically.

After around ten more minutes of walking I finally recognized the area of the beach we were in and knew exactly where we were going.

"You're taking me to our old hangout aren't you?"

Mack simply winked.

We reached the destination that we used hang out in all time. A tiny rock cove on the water. This place meant so much to both Mack and I, because if it wasn't for this spot, we wouldn't have fallen in love.

I still remember first meeting her. She was upset about something -to this day I still don't know what- when I found her at this spot in tears.

"Hey there. You ok?" I remember saying.

Mack had turned and screwed up her nose.

"Fine." She spat.

"No you're not." I protested. "You're crying."

"I'm aware of that. Please go away."

I ignored her and sat down.

"So what's up? Why are you upset?"

She raised an eyebrow.

"I don't even know you?" It sounded much more like question then a statement.

"I'm Brady. Tell me your name and bam, we know each other."

She didn't even crack a smile.

"Fine." I sighed. "The fact that I'm a stranger should make it easier for you to talk to me. I mean you probably want to talk about this but you don't want to be judged. So spill your guts to me and then walk off and we'll never speak again."

She seemed to actually consider this for a second, but then resigned to flashing me a grateful smile.

"Thanks for the offer but I actually really need to get my mind off my problems. Could we talk about something random instead? Like school or the beach? I'm McKenzie, by the way. But everyone calls me Mack."

And so we did. We found out we went to the same school and we both loved the beach. She told me she'd always wanted to learn how to surf and I told her I'd been surfing since I could walk. I offered to teach her and we talked for almost three hours. When she finally said she should be getting home but we agreed to eat lunch together at school the next day. That weekend we met up at the beach and I gave her her first surfing lesson. We exchanged numbers at the end of the day and late at night I received a text from her.

_I need someone 2 talk 2. Family drama._

Now I could see that the family drama was probably something to do with her Aunt forcing her to go to the school she doesn't want to, but back then I was just happy she wanted to talk to me. I didn't want to admit it but I was developing a crush on her.

We texted until midnight and she finally said goodnight, signed with a lengthy row of X's.

We became really close friends, hanging out frequently after school. She'd become a really talented surfer after about a month of me giving her lessons, and our sessions at the beach became more hang out time and less me teaching her. But as much as I adored surfing with her, nothing was better than hanging out at this particular spot. It was quiet, peaceful and we were alone.

And Mack seemed to be more herself when she was away from big crowds.

I still remember our first kiss like it happened half an hour ago.

We'd spent the whole day surfing and the sun was starting to set, about five weeks after we'd first met. It was a Saturday and she was sleeping over at my place, something she did a lot. We decided to watch the sun set from our hang out spot and started the twenty minute walk down the beach. The whole time my stomach was churning and my palms were sweating because I planned to tell Mack I liked her that evening.

To this day I still don't know how it happened, but the sun was going down and suddenly my lips were on hers. I don't know if she kissed me or I kissed her or what happened, but it was single handily the greatest ten seconds of my life. I don't really remember what happened after that, but I do know that if it wasn't for that moment, that kiss, I wouldn't be here tonight, holding hands with the most amazing girlfriend ever.

"Brady!" Mack cried, snapping me back to the present day. "What's up? You just completely zoned out."

I smiled and hooked my arms around her waist, pulling her in.

"It's hard not to. There's so many amazing memories at this place."

Mack pressed her nose up against mine.

"What's your favorite memory associated here?"

That one was easy. I instinctively wanted to say our first kiss, but I had a better idea.

"That time when we came here at night and I shoved you into the water."

Mack pulled away and puzzled her expression.

"When was that?"

I smirked and picked her up by the waist.

"Right now!"

And with that I threw into the ocean.

She stood up, her jeans, t-shirt and hair soaked.

"That's it you're going down." She hissed playfully.

She chased me up the cove and dragged me back into the shallow part of the water with her. We kicked and splashed water at each other until we collapsed in a fit of giggles.

And as we laid there side by side I began to wonder what I ever did to deserve a girl this special.

**Ok guys six reviews for an update!**


	9. Coming Down

**PLEASE READ:**

**I just wanted to say thankyou for all the reviews and support. It really means a ridiculous amount. Just to see you guys actually take some time out of your day to give me feedback means so much to me. Whenever I log on and see I have new reviews I get so excited, even if its only one new review. So thanks guys and I hope you enjoy this chapter!**

Chapter Nine:

Mack's P.O.V

The sun felt brighter and much warmer then it regularly did each morning when it poured through my window.

I rolled over in bed and rocks scratched at my back. Confused, I sat up and remembered I wasn't in bed.

Brady and I had decided to spend the night sleeping in the sand at our spot, hoping Struts, Chee Chee, Lugnut and the others would assume the "thing" we had to go to would go all night.

"Brady." I mumbled sleepily, half-heartedly nudging him. He didn't stir.

"Brady." I said, shaking him harder and raising my voice. He still didn't move.

I fumbled to my feet and stumbled down the rocky shore to the water. I scooped as much of the freezing morning water as I could into my hands and jogged back along the rock littered sand, tossing the water on Brady's face.

He flinched awake and let out a tiny squeal.

"What was that for?" He cried, shaking the water out of his blonde hair.

"I tried to wake you up like one hundred times!" I lied. I tried to wake him up twice but close enough.

We held hands the whole walk home. When we arrived, Lela and Tanner were sitting on the porch chairs snuggled up close to each other. They looked overly happy and excitable.

"Hey guys how was dinner?" Brady inquired as we walked up the three steps.

Lela beamed.

"Ah-mazing!" She squealed. "The restaurants are so incredible, and the hotels!"

Brady and I exchanged a look.

"Hotels?" I repeated.

Tanner nodded.

"Lela and I stayed in a hotel last night. There so nice!"

Brady raised an eyebrow.

"Where did you get the money for a hotel room?"

Tanner rubbed the back of his neck.

"About that... You might be missing some money from your wallet."

Brady should have been made but he wasn't, probably because he was a real sucker for romance.

It was 10am and impressively enough, everyone was awake.

"Has anyone had breakfast?" I asked as we walked into the kitchen. The group murmured that they hadn't.

"I'll make pancakes." I offered, sorting the ingredients on the bench. "Since that's the only thing I can actually cook."

I made the food a doused it in maple syrup and whipped cream. I served a plate to each person but when I got to Lela she rejected it.

"No thankyou." She mumbled. "I'm not hungry."

I frowned. I thought maybe she'd already eaten at the hotel, but looking over at Tanner revealed him greedily tucking in to his meal.

"You ok Lela?" Chee Chee piped, overhearing our conversation.

Lela waved her off.

"Oh, I'm fine." She assured, climbing off the bar stool she was sitting on at the breakfast bar. "I just feel a little sick."

Tanner placed his knife and fork down and followed his girlfriend to the fold out couch where she was making herself comfortable.

"You were fine a second ago." He said, kneeling down so his eyes were the same height as Lela's. She nodded in agreement.

"Yeah I know. I just feel quite woozy all of a sudden."

His concern clearly growing, Tanner pressed a palm to Lela's forehead.

"She's burning up." He whispered.

"Brady, go run a washer under cold water." I instructed.

Brady disappeared from the room. By now everyone had stopped eating and was hovering around Lela, who hardly seemed to notice. She seemed to be getting dramatically sicker with every second that went by and in just thirty seconds she's gone from feeling a little sick to laying limply on the couch, her temperature through the roof and her eyes gently closed.

"What did you guys have for dinner last night?" I asked Tanner as Brady returned, laying the washer on Lela's forehead.

Tanner thought for a moment.

"Some kind of pasta. I don't really remember what kind."

"Did it have meat in it?"

"Mine did. But I know for a fact hers didn't."

I shook my head.

"Then it can't be food poisoning ." I thought aloud. "I just can't think of anything else that could bring someone down so suddenly and fiercely."

"Maybe she's just gotten too much sun, or the food here is to extremely different to what she's used to." Rascal suggested.

"The weird one's got a point." Struts drawled. "Maybe she just needs rest."

Rascal looked overly offended.

"Weird one?" He echoed. "Why am I the weird one?"

"Cause you just are." Chee Chee signed her statement off with her signature giggle.

"What have I ever done that makes me the weird one?"

Chee Chee giggled yet again.

"How much time ya have?"

"Guys!" Butchy snapped. "Not our biggest concern right now!"

Lela waved her hand around, signally her need for space.

"Strut's is right." She whispered.

"About me being weird?" Rascal shrieked.

"No moron about her needing rest." Butchy spat.

"Oh right, right."

I hurried off into the hall and fetched Lela and old towel and a bucket, just in case. I positioned the bucket beside the couch and tucked the towel underneath her.

"Is there anything else I can get you?" Tanner asked, running his fingers through her black lace hair. She shook her head.

"No thankyou. I just need to be left alone."

Tanner kissed her cheek and stood up. Everyone slowly backed away to finish their breakfast.

**Ok guys try and guess whats wrong with Lela! If anyone can guess it Ill give you a shoutout next chapter. Six reviews for an update!**


	10. Extending The Visit

Chapter Ten:

Brady's P.O.V

Lunchtime arrived and there was still no noticeable improvement in Lela. She slept the entire morning away, and when she finally did awaken she commented that she only felt worse.

Mack made everyone sandwiches for lunch. Tanner took his over to to couch/bed and smuggled up next to Lela, offering her half of his salad sandwich. Obviously, she declined. He lowered his head.

"I know you don't feel like eating but you have to. You'll only get worse if you don't." He insisted.

Mack and I strolled over and sat on the end of the flip out bed whilst Chee Chee and Struts sat on the armrests, Butchy and Lugnut sat in the armchairs, Giggles sat on Butchy's lap and everyone else sat on the rug on the floor.

"He's right Lela." Mack agreed. "You'll only get weaker if you don't eat."

Lela slowly sat up and gave a weak smile, extending out a trembling hand, grasping half of her boyfriend's sandwich.

She took a tiny bite and took a long time to chew it, then finally swallowed it and nodded.

"I actually think food may help a little." She admitted.

She took three more large bites, then her face fell. She place the uneaten remains of sandwich back on Tanner's plate and pressed the back of her palm to her mouth. She waved her other hand around wildly and muttered an "uh oh."

In one quick, sharp movement, Lela scooped up the old rag towel Mack had gotten for her and held it under her chin. I couldn't help but cringe as I watched the tiny bit of food she'd put in her stomach come straight back up into the towel. When she was finished chucking, Lela wiped the her mouth and tossed the soiled towel in the bucket Mack had also brought. Lela immediately turned to Mack, her chocolate eyes coated with guilt.

"Mack I'm so sorry!" She squeaked. "I've made a huge mess. I'll clean all this up."

She made a move to try and get out of bed but Mack just laughed and instructed her to stay where she was.

"Lela." She giggled. "You don't have to apologise for being sick. You're the one suffering here. And besides, you got all the puke in the towel and put that in the bucket so all I have to do is throw this out. I think I can handle that."

"Thankyou Mack. That's really sweet of you." Lela smiled.

Just as Mack was picking up the bucket the home phone rang.

"Could you get that please Brady?" She asked.

I hoped off the couch and moved over to the phone on the wall, tapping the green answer button. The only people that ever called Mack's home phone were her family, and pretty much Mack's entire family knew me, so I was certainly no stranger to answering her phone for her.

"Hello. Mackenzie's house, Brady speaking." I said to the person on the other end.

"Brady? It's me."

I automatically recognised Mack's grandfather's voice.

"Hey Grandpa, what's up?"

I can't remember the exact time I started addressing Mack's grandfather as grandpa, but it was ages ago. Ever since we'd started dating I'd spent more time at her place then my own. He might as well adopt me.

"I tried calling Mack's mobile but she wouldn't answer." He started. "The friend I came here to mourn, their family's in quite a state. Could you ask Mack if she'd be alright with me extending my visit to two weeks instead of five days? Only if she's ok with it of course. Not that she really needs me. I mean, she's got he's big brave boyfriend right?"

"Right." I agreed with a laugh. "I'll let Mack know and I'll call you back."

"Thanks Brady. Bye now."

"Bye Grandpa."

"MACK!" I screamed out as I walked down the hall.

"In here!" She screamed back from the laundry.

I briefly told her what her grandfather had told me and she commented that that was fine and she'd call him back later.

"Actually Mack." I began to add as she washed her hands and went to find a fresh towel for Lela. "There is something else I wanted to ask you."

Mack nodded and signaled for me to follow her as she tucked the clean towel into Lela's blankets.

"Sure. What's up?"

I sighed.

"I'd actually like to do this alone if you're okay with that?"

Mack cocked her head for a moment, trying to read my expression, but, clearly getting nothing, she told Lela she'd be right back and we went into her bedroom.

"So, I just had this really crazy thought, and feel free to tell me I'm insane." I continued.

"You're insane." She giggled sarcastically.

I rolled my eyes.

"Wait until I've told you the though first. Anyway, they came here a day after we got home right?"

"Yes." Mack confirmed, not really seeing where I was going with this.

"Well, the storm would have passed by then. So how did they get here?"

She thought for a moment.

"I guess it doesn't necessarily take a storm, just a really big wave to transport between worlds."

"And the waves are pretty huge around midday here right?"

"Right." She confirmed, a little more suspiciously this time. "Brady, if you're suggesting we go back to Wet Side Story-"

"No no no." I cut her off. "I just thought that maybe since your grandfather's going to be away for two weeks now…"

I could see it in the way she sat up straighter. I could see it in the look in her eyes. I could see it in the way all the muscles in her cheeks and her lips fell.

She understood where I was taking this.

"Brady, no!" She hissed.

"Come on!" I pleaded. "Admit it. You're enjoying having them here. And there loving it as well!"

"Lela's on the couch unable to hold down any food!"

"She probably just caught a bug or ate something bad or whatever. And besides, that's even more reason for them to stay another week! She'll waste a few valuable days but she'll be better within three or four and then she'll have a whole other week to make up for lost time. And they aren't hurting anyone by being here."

Mack chewed the end of her pinky, lost in her own thoughts.

"Fine." She sighed after a few long, awkward, silent minutes. "They can stay for two weeks. But they have to be home the day before my grandpa. Understood?"

"Absolutely."

**Ok guys what's wrong with Lela? All will be revealed next chapter so keep the guesses coming! Xxxx thanks for reading!**


	11. What's Wrong With Lela?

**Alright guys I will now reveal what's wrong with Lela. Xxxxx enjoy!**

**WARNING: **

**This story is rated T because of these chapter and future chapters after this one. This one in particular is quite mature and isn't recommended for readers under the age of twelve or thirteen. **

Chapter Eleven:

Mack's P.O.V

The sound of hurling from the bathroom woke me up in middle of the night. Half asleep, I rolled over in bed and and found Brady's iPhone on the bedside table. I turned it on and smiled at his lock screen. It was by far my favourite picture of us. We were curled up on the beach in the late evening, looking not at the camera but into each others eyes. My grandfather had taken this for Brady on his birthday a few months ago. The neon white numbers at the top of the screen told me it was 2.16am.

Oh joy.

I couldn't go back to sleep when I could hear Lela throwing her guts up just next door. I climbed out of bed and navigated my way around the girls on the floor and out my bedroom door. I walked down the hall until I reached the closed bathroom door.

"Lela?" I whispered after I knocked a couple of times. "You doing alright in there?"

No answer, just more vomiting noises. I sighed and let myself in.

She was curled up on her knees in front of the toilet. She was visibly trembling and she had vomit in her loose hair.

"Hi Mack." She whispered. The poor thing. It seemed that even saying hi to me took energy she clearly didn't have. Without replying, I wet some paper towel from underneath the sink and cleaned her hair. She thanked me with a half hearted smile.

"We need to talk Mack." She said after a few moments of silence. I got down on my knees beside her.

"What about?"

She was about to answer me when she leaned over the bowl to be sick again. I scooped up her dark hair and held it out of the mess.

"You can't tell Tanner." She said when she was finished.

This took me by surprise. I loved Lela, and I certainly loved the fact that she trusted me, but what could she possibly trust me with that she didn't even trust Tanner with?

"Absolutely." I agreed, my curiosity growing.

"Mack..." She started to cry. Whatever she had to tell me, it was big. I leaned forward and wrapped my arms around her and she cried even harder.

"You can tell me Lela." I assured her. "I won't tell Tanner."

Lela pulled away and looked at the floor.

"Mack." She repeated my name, this time with a very long, very deep breath in.

"I think I might be pregnant."

My jaw dropped.

"P-pregnant?" I echoed. Lela started crying again.

"Yes." She sobbed. "I haven't considered the possibility until now. But it all makes sense. My period was supposed to come four days ago and it's never late but I didn't really think anything of it. But now I've gotten sick and..." She trailed off.

At that point I was sure I was dreaming. I tucked both my hands behind my back and gave either wrist a hard pinch. I didn't wake up.

"Ok this isn't a dream." I accidentally said aloud. Thankfully, Lela didn't hear me.

"What am I going to do Mack?" She cried gently. "I'm only seventeen."

I stroked Lela's hair.

"Let's not jump to conclusions. However it does sound like you might be. And if so, you have to tell Tanner."

Lela looked away.

"Tanner is the father, right? I mean if you are pregnant."

She looked shocked that I'd pretty much just accused her of sleeping with a random.

"Of course!"

I nodded and the room fell silent but not at all awkward. We were both lost in thoughts. I still couldn't get my head around the fact that Lela could actually be pregnant, and not only that but her and Tanner had...well...made it possibly for her to be pregnant. Not even Brady and I had taken that step yet and we'd been together a lot longer then Tanner and Lela.

"Lela?" I whispered. "When did you and Tanner..."

"The night you and Brady left." She jumped in before I had chance to say anything else.

I nodded and the room elapsed over into silence again, only this time it was very awkward.

"You have to tell him." I said firmly. She shook her head.

"I can't. He'll break up with me."

Now it was my turn to look shocked.

"Lela! Don't you dare think like that." I scolded. "Tanner loves you. More than anything."

Lela smiled a little.

"More than his surfboard?" She giggled.

"More than his surfboard." I giggled with her, happy to see at least traces of the sweet and innocent and over all adorable biker.

The door creaked open and Butchy stumbled inside.

"What's going on in here? He yawned. Lela shot me a pleading look, a silent beg for me not to say anything.

"Nothing Butchy." I replied. "Lela's still sick. That's all."

Butchy rubbed his eyes and groggily knelt down beside his little sister. He was clearly suspicious.

"I can tell when you're lying sis." He said accusingly.

"Lying? I haven't even said anything!" Lela defended.

"It's what ya not saying that's the problem. You're hiding something."

"I'm tired and I'm sick Butchy. I'm not in the mood to play interrogation."

"Well then you better fess up fast."

"There's nothing to fess up."

"I told you I know when you're lying."

"I'm not lying!" I wasn't sure if it was nerves or frustration but something made Lela scream that last part.

"Both of you shut up!" I hissed fiercely. "It's 2.30am."

"Sorry." The both mumbled in unison.

"Go back to bed Butchy." I muttered.

Butchy sharpened his glare and it was obvious he wasn't the best person to be around when he was tired.

"I actually came to use the bathroom unless you have a problem with that." He snarled.

Lela seemed to have stopped throwing up, at least for now, so I helped her off the floor and we left Butchy alone.

We walked back into the lounge room just as Tanner woke up.

"Is everything ok?" He asked softly.

"Not really." Lela admitted. "I still feel terrible. I'm going to get some fresh air."

Tanner began to climb off the flip out couch.

"I'll come with you." He offered.

"No you go back to sleep. I'm fine."

"I'll keep an eye on her Tanner." I jumped in, assuming Lela only didn't want Tanner there so we could continue our conversation. "I'm awake anyway."

"Thanks Mack. Come and get me if you need me Lela."

Lela and I stepped out onto the porch. I shivered in the mid night air but Lela didn't seem to notice it. Lit up by the shining moonlight, I could see just how awful she looked. She was hunched over, so unwell she was struggling to even carry her own weight. All the colour had drained from her face and she looked not only sick but stricken with anxiety. She clutched her stomach and lent over the side of the balcony, vomiting into the garden. Once again, I bundled up her hair and pinned it behind her head to keep her from getting sick all through it.

"Ok Lela." I whispered when she was done. "Tomorrow I'll get you a pregnancy test, but in order to do that, I'm going to have to tell Brady. Are you ok with that?"

Lela nodded.

"Just not Tanner yet. I don't want to alert him if it's just a false alarm. And please don't tell Butchy. He doesn't even like Tanner and I kissing on the lips. I realize I will have to tell him if I pregnant, but if I'm not he doesn't really need to know that we-"

"I get it. I won't tell anyone other than Brady."

"Thankyou Mack."

"Hey." I said with a laugh, pulling her into a hug. "Friendship forever right?"

"Friendship forever."

**Seven reviews and I will update! I'm not going to give a shout out to everyone who correctly guessed what was wrong with Lela cause a lot of you did, but Iamabooknerd guessed first so shout out to you. **


	12. Busted

Chapter Twelve:

Brady's P.O.V

Morning arrived and I was greeted with the warming feeling of being belted with a pillow.

I opened my eyes just as the pillow came down on my head again. When it was lifted again I could see my girlfriend standing in front of me in her pajamas, the pillow raised above her head.

"I got wet yesterday, bashed today, do you just pride yourself on finding irritating ways to wake me up?"

Mack put her hands on her hips.

"Actually no. But I should. It's really fun." She smirked.

"What time is it?" I mumbled sleepily.

"Six am."

"What?" I snapped, sitting up. "It's bad enough you've been waking me up at eight but now six?"

"I'm sorry." She said sounding far from apologetic. "But I need to borrow some money."

I shot her a look.

"Whenever you 'borrow' my money I never get it back."

Mack sighed.

"Fine. Let me rephrase that. I need you to give me some money."

"At six am?"

"Yes! Where's your wallet?"

"On the kitchen bench... I think... What the heck do you need money this early for anyway?"

Mack ignored my question and left the room. Part of me wanted to shrug it off and go back to sleep, but a much bigger part of me was far too suspicious.

I tiptoed out of bed so I didn't wake the girls. But as I passed the mattress I realized it wasn't the girls I was trying to avoid disturbing, but more like girl.

Struts laid sound asleep, completely alone. It was pretty safe to assume Giggles was out with the boys on her regular morning surf, but where was Chee Chee? She hated salt water and she certainly wasn't the type to get up early if she didn't have to.

Mental note to self: investigate that after investigating why Mack needs to steal my money.

I went downstairs to where Mack was tucking multiple bills from my wallet into her pocket.

"Ok two questions. Question number one: why do you need my money?" I asked curiously. "And question number two: where's Chee Chee?"

Mack bit her lip.

"She isn't up there?"

I shook my head.

"No she isn't, but that was question two. Answer the questions in order please."

Mack sighed.

"Well the answer to the first question is a little complicated so I thought I'd start with the question that has a simple three worded answer. I don't know."

She paused.

"As for the first question." She paused again, turning her attention to the floor. "I need to buy a pregnancy test."

The words hit me so hard I actually had to take a step back.

"Mack...is there something you aren't telling me?"

Mack looked up, her eyes wide like a dear caught in headlights.

"Oh god Brady no. It isn't for me."

I let out the heavy breath I was holding in, relieved that those crazy few seconds I'd considered someone else had gotten my girlfriend pregnant were gone.

"Wait, then who's it for?"

"Lela."

These words hit me almost as hard as the previous.

"Lela?"

Mack nodded.

Lela. Pregnant. The words didn't even seem to comfortably sit in one sentence.

"Wh-what? H-how?"

Mack narrowed her eyes.

"How? Didn't you go to middle school?"

I waved her off.

"No I know how. I mean how could this happen to a pixie like Lela?"

She shrugged.

"I don't know. Only that she's majorly freaked out. And NOT ready to tell her brother or Tanner. Or anyone really. So keep your mouth shut ok?"

"Ok." I agreed.

Mack recounted the money she'd taken.

"Actually would you mind if I took an extra five dollars? I want to buy like a tub of ice cream or something I can use to hide the tests in case I run into anyone I know on the walk home."

"Sure." I said without hesitation, handing her a five dollar note. She took it and pecked me on the lips.

"Back in twenty." And with that she disappeared out the door.

It wasn't until she left that I remembered Lela herself was asleep on the couch just a few meters away from us.

But if she'd heard anything we said, she showed no sign of it. She seemed dead to the world, curled up in a tiny ball asleep.

I went back upstairs intent on trying to get a few more hours of sleep but knowing with this new information I probably wouldn't be able to.

I was almost to Mack's bedroom when I heard something smash in the guest room.

There wasn't supposed to be anyone in there. SeaCat and Rascal were using that room. Wouldn't they be out with Giggles and Tanner surfing?

I edged towards the door and was about to open it when I heard voices. I stopped and pressed an ear up against the door.

"SeaCat!" A high pitched voice that undeniably belonged to Chee Chee squealed.

"Relax." The forever cool and collected surfer replied. "The only thing that broke was one of these blue things. And there's like a million of them. No one's going to notice if one is missing."

I knew he was talking about the collection of blue vases Mack's grandfather kept on the dressing table in the guest room. He wasn't wrong. There were at least thirty of them.

"Not the point. Someone could hear us!"

"Chill would you? Everyone's asleep."

I resisted the urge to knock and ask them what was going on.

It went dead silent.

Carefully, I turned the knob and opened the door just a crack.

SeaCat's lips were on Chee Chee's.

**Well somebody just got caught out…. Seven update's and I will review!**


	13. Mack's Bathroom: Place Of Confessions

**Haha lol I got a lot of reviews asking if I purposely wrote 'seven updates and I will review'. The answer to that question is umm yeah that was totally on purpose *laughs awkwardly* Lol sorry I was really tired just wanted to clear that up. Lol enjoy this chapter Xxxx**

Chapter Thirteen:

Mack's P.O.V

I returned home around twenty-five minutes after I left to make the trip to the corner shop to find a quiet house. It was 6.30am by my watch so I guessed the bikers were still asleep and the surfers were still on the beach. Brady was probably awake however.

I know I wouldn't be able to sleep if someone told me what I told him.

I passed the couch and realized Lela wasn't on it.

"Lela?" I called.

"In here." She croaked from the bathroom.

I shoved the two liter tub of chocolate ice cream I'd bought to hide the two pregnancy tests I'd purchased in the freezer and headed towards the bathroom.

Poor Lela was on her knees in front of the toilet yet again, Brady hovering over her holding her hair. Although, despite being sick as a dog, she had something that resembled a smile on her lips, where as Brady was full on beaming.

"What's going on in here?" I asked cautiously, placing the paper bag on the sink basin.

"I discovered that Butchy and Giggles might not be the only new couple here." Brady smirked.

"What do you mean?"

"Brady walked in on Chee Chee and SeaCat kissing." Lela actually allowed herself a full smile.

"No way!" I exclaimed. Chee Chee and SeaCat?

"Way!" Brady said, clearly mocking my shocked expression.

"Oh shut up. Can you blame me for being surprised?"

Lela pursed her lips together.

"It actually makes sense." She said. "Don't you remember our first morning here? How strange they were acting in the kitchen?"

I hadn't thought about it again until that moment. But now I could see the whole scene in my mind clearly.

"But, they almost looked afraid of each other." I protested.

"True." Brady agreed with a shrug. "I don't know. But they were defiantly together."

"Well do they know you saw them?"

"Nope." He said, popping the 'p'.

"We aren't going to say anything yet." Lela told me. "We'll just see what happens."

I nodded and by the way the room suddenly went dead quiet I could tell it was time.

"Ok. Lela I got you two different kinds because I didn't know which brand was more accurate." I explained, removing two rectangular boxes from the bag. She thanked me and placed the boxes in her lap, then looked up awkwardly at Brady. I could tell she was waiting for him to leave but was too nice to actually ask. Thankfully, Brady took the hint quickly enough.

"I'll just wait out here." He gestured towards the door, pulling himself off the floor.

After a deep breath in, Lela took the first test, then the second one straight after.

"How long do we have to wait?" She asked once she was finished, placing the tests on the floor.

I skimmed the boxes.

"Fifteen minutes for the first one and twenty minutes for the second one."

"Ok then."

"Brady you can come back in now!" She yelled. The door clicked open and my boyfriend slid back inside.

"How long?" He asked, pointing towards the sticks on the bath rug. I told him what I'd told Lela.

"Dude that was the sickest the waves have been!" Tanner cried from the living room.

The surfers were back.

"Calabunga!" The three surfers laughed in unison.

"Lela?" Tanner called out to his girlfriend.

"In here Tanner!" Lela called back, hurrying to hide the test in the cabinet under the sink. Quickly, Lela opened the toilet lid and knelt in front of it again; creating the illusion she was still in the bathroom because of her upset stomach.

The door swung opened and a shirtless Tanner strutted in, leading an also shirtless Rascal and Giggles who was dressed in a pair of Mack's hot pink bikinis.

"Dudes the surf was awesome! You three should have been there." Rascal shrieked, as if he were completely oblivious to how sick Lela was.

"Glad to hear you had fun." She tried to look enthusiastic but the nausea was taking its toll.

"Still not better?" Tanner waved his hand to shush the other two chatting surfers.

"No she's not. Hey where's SeaCat?" Brady asked with a smile.

He just couldn't help himself.

Tanner frowned and put a finger to his chin, then flashed his signature smile.

"I don't know. He left the beach early."

Lela, Brady and I shared a knowing smile that thankfully slipped by the surfers unnoticed.

"Hey dudes!" SeaCat exclaimed, appearing at the bathroom door.

"Oh oh I found SeaCat!" Giggles jumped a little, pointing towards the door. "What do I win?"

"The satisfaction of finding SeaCat." I grinned.

Giggles though for a moment.

"Ok!" She laughed.

The atmosphere actually seemed to lift a little, brightened by the ever present positive vibe that came off the surfers.

I checked my watch and saw that enough time had passed for the first test.

"Why don't you guys do down and make breakfast?" I offered.

Rascal tilted his head to one side.

"What are you cats gonna do then?"

"We'll stay here with Lela."

"I'll stay too. You guys make breakfast." Tanner said. Obvious hungry, the surfers departed the bathroom without hesitation.

"You go to Tanner." Brady almost sounded desperate.

"No I want Tanner to stay."

Lela's words shocked us, to say the least.

I caught her gaze and mouthed the words 'are you sure?" She nodded in response.

"Could you close the door please?" She whispered. Obediently, Tanner did as she asked.

"Tanner we need to talk."

Wearily, Tanner got on his knees beside Lela.

"I think I might be pregnant."

**So Tanner now knows. And I now know how to speak! Seven REVIEWS for an UPDATE. Yes, I put them the right way round this time :)**


	14. Revealations

**Ok before I start a huge shout out to Madii. According to her reviews, she stays up all night to read my story! That's crazy! And undeniably amazing! It blows my mind that someone actually does that. Whoa…. Thankyou so much Madii, it's people like you that encourage me to update every day (just to answer your question yes I do update every day, or try to at least). So officially Madii you are like my favorite person in the solar system. ON WITH THE STORY!**

Chapter Fourteen:

Brady's P.O.V

Tanner's face literally fell causing Lela to cry. Seemingly still in shock, Tanner pulled Lela into an embraced and she sobbed into his shoulder.

"She just took two tests." I jumped in since it didn't seem like Lela was planning on saying anything else.

"And the results for the first are ready." Mack added.

Tanner looked up at Mack.

"Where are they?"

She pointed to the sink cabinet.

"In there."

Tanner hesitated, an unreadable expression settling on his face. Every muscle in his body seemed to stiffen. His lips formed a straight line. He took a few deep breaths in. Mack raised her watch.

"And the second test is officially done." She announced.

"Well are we going to check these tests or are we going to stand here for another hour?" I asked.

Mack punched me in the arm.

"What was that for?" I hissed, rubbing the spot that was sure to bruise.

She shot me a glare.

"Ok I'll be quiet."

I smiled.

"Hey look at that! We've become that kind of adorable couple that can communicate through facial expressions!"

Mack punched me again.

"Ok ok I'm shutting up."

Mack leaned down and removed the two tests from the cabinet, taking caution not to look at the results. She placed the face down on the bath rug and scooted over towards me, locking her fingers through mine.

"So what do we do if these results come up positive?" Tanner chewed his lip as he spoke.

Lela shrugged.

"I don't know." She confessed. "I really, really, really don't know."

"Tell the others?" I suggested.

"Well duh! She means after that." Mack snapped then quickly apologized. She snapped a lot when she was either nervous, tired or frustrated. It was one of her many qualities that I was head over heels in love with. I wouldn't have her any other way.

Lela began to visibly shake.

"I suppose we're going to have to make the decision." Lela whispered so quietly it was only just audible.

"What decision?" Tanner questioned.

"Keep. Abortion. Adoption."

Lela's hands began to shake and fresh tears leaked down her face. Tanner kissed them away.

"Whatever happens we'll be together. And we'll get through it. That I can promise you."

Lela tried to smile but that just ended in more tears.

This was driving me crazy.

"People please." I said. "We don't even know if she's pregnant or not. Let's turn the tests over and go from there."

Lela shook her head.

"Brady." She mumbled, avoiding my gaze. "You don't get it. I'm still desperately clinging to that small chance that this is a false alarm. If I turn those tests over and they're positive-"

"-That hope is gone." I finished for her, beginning to understand her hesitation.

"I get what you're saying, but you have to look at the results eventually Lela." Mack said, her voice full of sympathy for the sick, helpless girl on her bathroom floor.

"I know."

Tanner took her hand and pulled her a little bit closer to him as she extended a furiously trembling hand a flicked the test over, clamping her eyes shut immediately.

Eight neon letters flashed on the screen.

PREGNANT

We all saw it coming. Lela and Tanner were both well prepared for the idea of being parents. Mack and I had agreed all of Lela's symptoms had greatly pointed towards it. But it still took us by surprise. Mack covered her mouth. Tanner widened his eyes. I stood in complete shock.

Lela opened her left eye, then her right, and burst into tears at the test. Without waiting for permission, I turned the second test over.

This one had no words, only bars. Two neon white lines.

Tanner, Lela and I looked to Mack who was reading the back of the box.

She closed her eyes.

"Two lines means pregnant."

Lela buried her head in Tanner's shoulder.

Before anyone had time to say anything, the door opened.

Lela snapped her attention to the door in time to see her brother.

Butchy was backed up against the wall, his eyes wide and his jaw close to hitting the floor.

He walked over towards Mack and threw his hands on her shoulders while the rest of us watched him. No one dared to say anything.

"Mack…. Please tell me these are your tests."

Mack hesitated. I could tell she didn't want to lie and claim the tests as her own, but at the same time didn't want to dob Lela in. However, I assumed Butchy had probably already put two and two together and worked out they didn't belong to Mack.

"No they aren't." Lela piped in a voice that almost sounded like she was trying to be confident but failing. "They're mine. I'm pregnant Butchy."

Butchy spun on his heels and stared his little sister in the eyes. More tears rolled down her face but she met his challenge, steadily holding his gaze. Butchy ripped his eyes from Lela and to Tanner.

Mack squeezed my hand tighter.

"You!" Butchy yelled loud enough to wake up anyone in America who was still asleep.

"What's going on up there?" Struts cried. Multiple sets of feet ran for the door. Butchy kicked it closed.

"Stay out of it!" He screamed popping the lock.

Lela shielded her face with her arms, leaving just a tiny gap enough to see what was going on.

"You did this!" He waved an accusing finger at Tanner, who scooted back a little.

"He didn't exactly do it on his own Butchy. It takes two to tango." I pointed out. I knew I was treading on dangerous ground but there was no way Butchy was about to blame his 'baby sister' for this. Maybe if I could get him to realize that Lela was just as much to blame he'd go a little easier on Tanner.

Although somehow, I greatly doubted that.

"Hey shut up!" He spat. "Nobody asked you."

Turning his focus back to Tanner, he shook a mad fist in front of him.

"You got my little sister pregnant. I'm giving you one chance to denied that."

Tanner gulped and shut his eyes.

"I can't deny that because it's true." He whispered.

Butchy flung a fist towards Tanner. Mack squealed and buried her head in my chest. My eyes dropped. What happened next seemed to happen in slow motion.

Lela screamed and dived in front of her boyfriend, and her older brother slammed his fist into the side of her head.

**Ok guys thankyou so much for all the reviews. Will update for eight reviews **


	15. Finding The Truth In DVD Cabinets

**TWENTY REVIEWS IN ONE DAY? OMG YOU GUYS ARE BEYOND AMAZING! I DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW TO DESCRIBE HOW HAPPY I AM. OMG. YOU'RE ALL INCREDIBLE. **

Chapter Fifteen:

Mack's P.O.V

Lela hit the ground with a thud as Butchy recoiled back. He practically fell down on all fours, wrapping his arms around his sister, pulling her fragile body, forcing her into a sitting position.

My eyes remained wide open but it was almost as if I couldn't see. I could only just make out what was happening, but a huge majority of my vision was claimed by the scene replaying itself again and again and again.

Butchy had just hit Lela in the temple. If he hit her hard enough, that could kill her.

That was something close to impossible to process.

"Lela." Butchy now appeared to be fighting tears. "Can you hear me? I'm so. I'm so sorry. Please talk to me. Can you hear me Lela?"

Lela's eyes fluttered open then closed again.

"Mack call 911." Tanner demanded.

"No I'm fine." Lela gushed, just as I was pulling out my phone.

"Ignore her. She needs an ambulance." Butchy insisted.

Lela shook her head.

"Butchy its ok." Lela half-heartedly assured. "I'm ok. Besides, they'll ask questions at the hospital. They'll want to know how it happened."

"She's right Butchy." I agreed.

"I don't care!" Butchy cried. "You need to medical attention."

Lela rubbed the spot she'd been hit.

"I really don't."

I had to jump in at this point.

"Of course we'll take her if she really needs a doctor, but I think taking Lela to the hospital will do more harm than good. They'll need records and a background on Lela, stuff we aren't exactly going to be able to provide since you guys aren't actually from this era. It'll take a whole lot of lying and made up stuff and it certainly won't help us keep you guys under the radar."

Butchy thought for a moment as Lela gave a faint smile.

"I'm so sorry Lela." Butchy whimpered, pulling her into a hug.

"It's ok. It was only an accident."

There was a bang on the locked door.

"Umm is everything ok? We're all really worried." Struts said from the other side of the door. "We heard screaming and yelling and then we heard a massive bang."

I walked over and unlocked the door, slipping out and closing it behind me, concealing the others on the other side.

Struts, Lugnut, Chee Chee, Giggles, SeaCat and Rascal stood in front of me, their expressions a combination of confusion, anxiety and expectation of an explanation.

"Have you all had breakfast?" I said as casually as I could. No one answered. I sighed.

"Don't worry about what's going on in there. Lela and Butchy got in a fight. That's all. They're siblings. What siblings don't fight?"

"But what was the bang?" Rascal asked the question I was purposely avoiding.

I had to think on my toes.

"Lela hit her head." I blurted, than realized that was actually a pretty good cover up.

"Ohmigosh." Chee Chee spoke without taking a breath. "Is she going to be alright?"

"Yeah she'll just have a headache for a little while."

"Wait." Giggles tucked a blonde strand of hair behind her ear. "What were they fighting about?"

Dam you Giggles.

"Tanner… I think…" I said, thinking that that was partly true.

"What'd Tanner do?" SeaCat folded his arms.

"Oh I don't know. I think Butchy caught them kissing and got a little flustered. Then Lela tried to get around him and tripped over, and she hit her head on the sink basin."

Mental note to self: Tell the others this so we don't go around with ninety eight different explanations for the concerning noises.

"They're fine now." I added quickly. "They made up. Actually I was just going to grab Lela and ice pack."

I wasn't, but I needed an excuse to end the conversation plus Lela really did need ice.

I headed to the kitchen and retrieved a cool ice pack from the freezer, then returned to the bathroom.

Just as I was placing the ice pack on Lela's head the living area suddenly got extremely noisy. I closed the door again to block out the loudness and quickly ran over the story with the others.

"EVERYBODY SHUT UP!" Lugnut screamed at the top of his lungs from the lounge room. All five of us actually jumped.

Lugnut cleared his throat.

"Life was simple." He said. The line sounded familiar but I couldn't remember where I'd heard it.

In the bathroom we were all quiet, waiting to hear more.

"The beach was owned by the surfers. The roads ruled by the bikers. The only time any conflict was ever raised was when the two gangs, sworn enemies, clashed heads."

"Bikers?" Lela questioned.

"Surfers?" Tanner followed.

"That's the –" Brady begun, losing colour from his face.

"Holy crap." I cursed under my breath.

"But one night at a biker/surfer party, when Lela –little sister of the leader of the bikers- takes a fall from a stage and is caught by Tanner –the leader of the surfers- they fall instantly in love, changing they're world forever. The surfers and bikers aren't open to socializing with the other gang in a positive way. None of them approve of this newly found relationship, least of all Lela's brother Butchy. But when Lela and Tanner discover a reason for both gangs to come together, true love might just conquer after all."

Lugnut had just recited the entire blurb to Wet Side Story.

**Ok guys could this chapter possibly get eight reviews? Thanks guys! Xxxx **


	16. Wet Side What Now?

**Hey guys. Sorry I didn't update yesterday but –as the American readers may not know- yesterday was the Australian Father's Day and I'm Australian so I was spending that day with my dad. Anyway here you guys go enjoy!**

Chapter Sixteen:

Brady's P.O.V

Mack and I stood starring there starring at each other, silently daring the other one to be the first to move. Or speak. Or breath.

"What…was…what….was that?" Lela stumbled over her words.

"That seemed to explain exactly what happened a few days ago, except you fell in love with Tanner, not him." Butchy said slowly, pointing at me.

"What's going on?" Tanner asked.

Before either Mack or I had the chance to say a thing, Lugnut burst through the room, quickly followed by the others, Wet Side Story in his hand.

Mack bit her lip and looked at the ground.

"What the hell is this?" Lugnut demanded.

"I'm on the cover of it!" Chee Chee squealed, pointing to the high haired biker girl lurking in the background.

"Me too!" Giggles followed, also pointing herself out.

The Wet Side Story cover consisted of Lela standing in front of her motorbike, looking lovingly into Tanner's eyes, who was standing in front of his surfboard, their gangs in the background.

"Yeah so am I!"

"There's me!"

"Look there I am!"

"I'm on the cover as well!"

One at a time, the others pointed themselves out to us. Butchy ripped the DVD from Lugnut's hand.

"I'm on this as well!" He cried. "And Lela and Tanner are right there up the front!"

Lugnut snickered.

"Flip it over."

Butchy did as he was instructed, finding the paragraph Lugnut had just read out.

"Someone better tell me what the heck's going on right this second." Butchy said firmly.

By now Tanner and even sick, wounded Lela were on their feet, also examining the cover.

Mack rubbed the spot on her forehead between her eyes, something she did when she was highly stressed out.

"I think you should all come to the living room." I said, ushering the group out the door. Lugnut stopped me.

"We ain't going nowhere. Start talking blondie." He spat.

"Lugnut." Mack sighed. "This bathroom was crowed when there was five of us in here. There's now eleven."

"Nobody gives a damn Mack!" Butchy cried.

"Butchy." I stepped protectively in front of my girlfriend. "We're going to the lounge room or you aren't getting an explanation."

Butchy held my gaze for a long time, before he finally gave up and flicked his wrist, signaling for the group to exit the bathroom. Obediently, they did.

Everyone settled in the lounge room then looked up at Mack and I with demanding expressions. Mack put her hands on her hips and focused her gaze on me, telling me she wasn't doing the talking.

Fantastic.

"I don't really know where to start..." I begun.

"-It's a modern day invention a bit like time travel." Mack cut me off.

I raised my eyebrow at her but she ignored me so I let her go. These guys were going to have trouble processing any reason for their names and faces to be in a DVD, no harm in seeing what Mack's got.

"You see." She continued. "We have these things here called A.E's which stands for alternate universe."

I watched her brow crinkle and her hands roll over each other, the body language I'd come to know as a sign Mack was lying.

"They look a lot like a DVD, but when you open it, you're transported to another world."

I scanned the attentively listening audiences faces and they actually seemed to be buying Mack's insane story. She was a terrible liar so I wasn't really sure why, but they were.

It became clear Mack was floundering so I decided to jump in and help her.

"That's how we got to 1962." I told them. "By opening the case we opened a portal to your world through the ocean, which is how you guys got to us."

"Wow, that actually makes sense." Tanner nodded his head and I tried not to laugh.

There was absolutely nothing about anything my girlfriend and I just said that made any sense at all, but apparently these guys were pretty gullible.

"But why is there a description of Lela and Tanner falling for each other on it?"

Way to go Lugnut. Poke holes in our story we almost had everyone convinced of.

"That's what was supposed to happen when we got there." Mack said, taking control again. "But Brady and I kind of changed it and you fell for us before you fell for each other." She was talking to everyone, but more directly to Lela and Tanner.

I couldn't help but think there was actually quite a bit of truth in that part of the lie.

"What's with the Wet Side Story thing though?" SeaCat pointed towards the swirly tittle at the top of the DVD cover.

"The worlds have names..." I tried.

"So you're telling me that in the future someone invented something called A.E's, which allows people to travel to different era's?" Giggles questioned with narrow eyes.

Mack and I nodded, trying to look as convincing as possible. Giggles broke into a beam.

"That's awesome!" She squealed and everyone murmured their agreements.

"Ok, well I haven't eaten yet and I'm starving." Struts announced, bouncing off the couch and towards the kitchen.

Slowly, everyone else stood up and went in their own directions. I dragged Mack up to her bedroom and locked the door behind her.

"Do you think they bought it?" I laughed, unable to contain my smiles any longer.

Mack matched my grin.

"I don't know." She confessed. "But it looked like it."

"I guess time travel isn't any freakier then an iPhone to them."

Mack let out a giggle.

"Yeah. If I had of come from their era and seen all the modern technology here for the first time, I wouldn't really question time travel either."

A knock on the door hushed the two of us.

I sighed and shot Mack a look that she returned and I could tell we were thinking the same thing.

Every time we were alone, someone interrupted us.

I opened the door and Tanner stood there alone.

"Ummm guys? Would you mind coming back? Lela's going to tell the others and I think she wants you there."

"Already?" Mack cocked her head.

"I told her to wait at little longer but she can't keep it to herself. And she make herself even sicker with worry about how the others will react. It would be better just to get it over and done with."

"Ok. Let's do this."

**Ok so nine reviews for an update! Thanks for all the reviews, I've been getting like thirty reviews per chapter so nine shouldn't take long. The amount of support this story has been getting is insane, thankyou guys. **


	17. Friends Come & Go, Enemies Are Forever

**Oh. My. GOD! You guys are beyond amazing! Sorry for the late update I normally work on this story during class at school… ummm I mean I do all my work and listen attentively to the teacher… but I am addicted to this book I'm reading and I couldn't put it down so yeah that's my excuse the only thing I love more than writing (other than acting) is reading. Anyway thankyou for twenty seven reviews on that chapter! Wow… that's really insane…**

Chapter Seventeen:

Mack's P.O.V

"Umm guys?" Lela uttered quietly once we returned to the room. Nobody acknowledged her other than Butchy, whose dirty glare was unmistakably aimed at Lela and Tanner.

"Guys?" She said a little louder. Nobody heard her.

"Guys please listen." Still no reaction.

"SIT DOWN AND SHUT UP LELA'S TRYING TO TALK!" Brady screamed.

Everyone stopped dead in their tracks, then seemed to realize for the first time that Lela was attempting to speak.

Wordlessly, Struts and Chee Chee (was it just me or did they seem practically glued at the hip?) sat down side by side on two of the bar stools while SeaCat and Rascal vacated the other two. I smirked when I noticed that although Chee Chee and SeaCat weren't acknowledging each other, their fingertips were continuously brushing under the bench.

"Umm, thankyou Brady." Lela nervously uttered her words.

And just because we were on such a winning streak with important moments being interrupted by an unwanted presence, and it would be such a shame to exclude this moment, the doorbell cut Lela off just as she was about to speak.

And then it went off again. And again. And again. And again. Ding. Ding. Ding. Ding. Ding. Ding.

Whoever it was had next to no patience.

"I'm coming!" I screamed.

I was the only one who was dressed; everyone else was still in their pajamas. Although, having said that, I certainly didn't look a million bucks. I was still in the black trackies I'd slept in and my pajama top was covered up by an old grey hoodie I'd tossed on to go to the shop. Trying to make myself look at least slightly presentable for the unknown guest, I scooped up my brunette curls and tied them behind my head, applied a few quick strokes of mascara to my eyelashes even though Brady was standing right there and he couldn't stand it when I wore make up because he said I was beautiful without it and straightened my jacket, all the while the bell went off continuously.

"I said I'm coming!" I yelled again, making a move for the door.

I opened it and my eyes locked with the stranger's, who actually wasn't a stranger.

Oh. My. God.

He grinned.

"Hey McKenzie. Long time no see."

In my panic I squealed and slammed the door.

The bell went off around fifteen more times as I tried to collect my breath, my heart suddenly racing faster than the time Brady and I had decided to catch a movie in the city and organized to take the train there, but got carried away surfing and had to run twenty blocks to make it to the station on time.

"Mack whose at the door?" The curiosity in Giggles eyes glimmered.

"Yeah Mack, whose at the door?"

Unlike Giggles, Brady didn't sound curious, but much more so suspicious.

"I think he wants to be let in." Lugnut laughed, referencing to the countless time the doorbell had been rung in the past two minutes.

It was obvious this guys was _not_ giving up that easily.

With a heavy sigh I opened the door again and braced the face I'd hoped I'd never again have to see as long as I lived.

"Now is that anyway to treat a guest?" Drew laughed.

My lips pursed into a straight line.

"What are you doing here?" I spat.

"An old friend can't drop in?" He pretended to be offended.

"How did you get my address?"

"Ran into this gorgeous black haired babe at Beachside Bash the other night. She was chattin' with her boyfriend about some chick named Mack and you're the only female Mack I've ever met. Went for a shot in the dark, started a convo with the stunner, got your address, thought I'd come invite you out for coffee."

I spun around to face a confused Lela. She'd obviously given Drew my address the other night when Tanner took her out for dinner, assuming he was an old friend who was looking to get back in touch with me.

I suppose I couldn't blame her for being so careless. In her world, everything was perfect. People like Drew didn't exist.

Manipulative, deceitful, pathetic, unworthy, lying betrayers like Drew didn't exist.

"You aren't welcome here. Get off my porch." I demanded, but my voice was shaky. I'd never really stood up to Drew before.

I couldn't hide the fact I was terrified.

Drew's gaze softened but that sickening smile still played over his lips.

"And you're going to do what if I don't?"

"I have a boyfriend." I said, hoping I sounded confident. "And he knows karate."

Ok, that was a lie. But Brady had used that line on Les Cambire back in Wet Side Story so why couldn't I use it now?

This purely amused Drew.

"Oh Kenzie." He laughed. "Still that same insecure girl. Always needing others to stand up for her. Never being able to do anything for herself."

"Don't call me Kenzie."

"Why not?" He teased. "You use to love it."

I narrowed my eyes.

"You know how much I hated it when you called me Kenzie."

"Woops!" Drew shrugged, his blue eyes popping. "Must have gotten you confused with one of my other girlfriends. I've had some many of em."

I almost laughed. Was he actually trying to make me jealous?

"Look dude, I don't know who you are." Brady said suddenly coming up behind me. "But Mack asked you to leave. So go."

Brady didn't sound even a little scared.

But then again, Brady had no clue what Drew was capable of.

**Nine reviews for an update! Xoxox thanks for reading!**


	18. What Happened Before Brady and Mack

**Ok guys this chapter is really long its 1,500 words whereas most of my chapters are only around 1000 words so enjoy!**

Chapter Eighteen:

Brady's P.O.V

The stranger at the door scowled but had a devious look in his eye.

"And who are you?"

"Brady I've got this under control." Mack whispered. I waved her off.

"I'm her boyfriend Brady. Who are you?"

"I'm Drew. Her ex-boyfriend."

"We were never a couple." Mack said flatly.

Was it just me or were her hands shaking?

"Now listen here Kenzie." Drew took a big step forward. He was close enough that I could smell his breath. It wafted strongly of peppermint gum and cigarettes.

"Don't. Call me. Kenzie."

"Old habits are hard to break." He smirked.

"I'm serious." Mack said, firmer this time.

"So am I." Drew laughed.

"You need to leave." I insisted, attempting to close the door. He forced it back open then smirked, not at Mack, but at someone behind her.

Lela ducked her head, avoiding his gaze.

"You again?" Drew chuckled.

He shoved past Mack and I, surprising me with his strength. His frame was scrawny and non-masculine, although Mack hardly seemed to bat an eyelid.

"Drew get out of my house!" She cried but Drew was already chasing a very reluctant Lela around the kitchen bench.

"Oi you! Leave her alone!" Butchy used himself to create a wedge between the stranger and his sister.

Drew sighed.

"I just wanted to thank the darling. If it wasn't for her I wouldn't have found Kenzie."

"DON'T CALL ME KENZIE!" Mack screamed.

"Dude seriously leave." I said, once again attempting to usher him out of the house.

He shoved me away.

"Fine I'll leave." He said smugly. "But first.."

He paused to force a small fold of white paper into Mack's hand.

"Call me." He practically pleaded. Mack tucked the paper in her pocket but I knew she had no intention of calling him.

And then her swooped a stray strand of hair of Mack's face and full on kissed her.

Last strike, right there.

"GET THE HELL OF MY GIRLFRIEND!" I yelled infuriated.

I dragged him off her and forced him out the door, my rage empowering sudden strength. I slammed the door and locked it.

Mack burst into tears, one hand lingering over her lips.

I was completely taken back by her response to the kiss.

Mack tried to hide her emotions as often as she could and rarely cried in front of other people, although I had the honor of being one of the very few people she allowed herself to cry in front of.

But the nine people from Wet Side Story certainly didn't appear on that list.

I rushed over and took her in my arms, gently rocking her from side to side.

"Who was he?" I whispered into her ear.

Her shoulders shook and her sobs heaved, getting heavier and heavier.

"I'm sorry." She said to everyone, covering her face and sprinting from the room.

Lela gasped.

"Oh my gosh. I'm so sorry Brady." She whimpered, looking as though she was about to cry herself. "I didn't know giving Mack's address to that guy would mean trouble I-"

"It's fine Lela." I assured her. "You didn't know any better. I don't even know who that guy is."

I jogged out of the kitchen, Lela hot on my heels. The rest of the gang had decided it was probably best to stay out of this one.

We reached Mack's room, the door slightly ajar.

"Mack?" I cooed, knocking a few times. "It's me. And Lela's with me. Can we come in?"

When there was no response, I flicked my hands towards the door and stepped aside, gesturing for Lela to go in. She did and I followed, shutting the door behind me.

Mack was curled on her bed, crying heavily into her pillow. The few strokes of mascara she'd applied were now smudged down her face and her ponytail was mattered and stuck to her hot wet face.

"Mack what's going on?" I asked, crawling onto the bed and embracing her again.

"He… u-used… he… I… crush…" Mack's words were broken by her tears.

"Shhhh." I coaxed. Lela made herself comfortable on the other side of Mack and held her hand.

Mack took a few deep breaths.

"He used to have a crush on me." She started, slightly more audible this time. "I wasn't interested. But he wouldn't take no for an answer."

"When was this?" I asked.

"About a year before I met you. He was the new kid in my class at school around a week after my sixteenth birthday."

I nodded.

"Ok. Continue."

"Well after about a month of him constantly Facebook messaging me, emailing me, writing me notes and asking me out in person, my grandpa and I went out for dinner. Just as we were being shown to our table, I saw him with some friends getting up to leave. I told grandpa I needed to use the bathroom because I didn't want Drew to confront me in front of him. And my theory was he couldn't follow me into the female toilets. I was just pushing open the door when someone shoved me from behind. Hard."

Mack's eyes were lost among the memory. She was starring off into the distance, her whole body trembling. She was reliving this story that clearly had an awful ending.

"I fell flat on my face on the bathroom floor. He shoved a bobby pin in the lock to prevent people from being able to open it from the outside. I stumbled to my feet and then he punched me in the jaw and knocked me back down."

Lela and I actually gasped at this point.

"Mack that's awful!" She squealed.

"I'm not finished. See, Drew had always been persistent and annoying, but he had never been violent. His eyes were really glassy that night so I think he was high on something. While I was on the floor with a hit to the jaw he laid on top of me, putting all of his body weight on me and kissed me. He was so strong I couldn't get out from underneath him; his entire body was covering me. Then he told me to tell people I slipped on a puddle of water and hit my jaw on the corner of the sink bench. I did exactly that because I was terrified of him. I'd never experienced pain anything like what I felt when he punched me. It was also that fear that led people to believe we were a couple. He started telling people his version of events: he'd walked into the girls toilets by accident, saw me, we'd laughed about it and somehow it ended in a make-out session on the floor. People started commenting on what I cute couple we were and every now and then he would walk up and kiss me or hold my hand and I never stopped him. I was too scared if I did he'd attack me again."

Mack began full on balling again.

I opened my mouth to speak but no words came out. What do you say when the one person you love more than anyone else tell you a story like that? Suddenly, overpowering rage pulsed through my blood. I wished I hadn't showed that Drew guy out. I wished I knocked him to the ground a beat him senseless.

"It gets worse." Mack sobbed. "I finally confessed what was going on to my English teacher, one woman who thought Drew and I were especially cute. She was shocked at what she heard and instantly reported Drew. He was only charged with fines and community service since one assault wasn't enough to send him to jail and based on history it looked like I was his only victim. But the night after he was arrested he marched over to my house –my grandfather and I lived somewhere else then- and started throwing plates and glasses and anything else that could smash at my head. My grandpa called the police and surprisingly Drew let him. He didn't seem to care if he got in more trouble with the police. He only cared about hurting me. Her punched me even harder than the first time in my still recovering jaw, this time breaking it. Her broke my arm as well by slamming it in the door. He ripped out chunks of my hair and even hit me with a bar stool, the whole time my grandfather defenseless to stop him. He was sent to juvenile detention for five months and my grandpa and I moved so when he got out he wouldn't know where we lived. The police told us if he chose to go back to school once the five months were up he wouldn't be allowed back in my school and I wouldn't ever have to see him again."

Lela actually started crying.

"Mack I'm so sorry." She sobbed. "That's so horrible. I would never have given out your address if I knew that."

"Mack how come you never told me this?" I demanded.

Mack let out a few more tears.

"Because I wanted to pretend it never happened."

**Ok what did you guys think? Nine reviews! Xxxx**


	19. Brother Knows Best

**I have made the decision to do one shout out per chapter to the reader who's review made me smile the most because you are all so amazing and really deserve to be shouted out to. I've gotten reviews saying that people stay awake until all hours of the night to read my story, I've gotten reviews saying that people spend their free time trying to guess what will happen next, even reviews saying that people were sick and thanks to my story they feel much better! WOW! Ok so yeah shout outs will start next chapter. Xxxx enjoy this chapter!**

Chapter Nineteen:

Mack's P.O.V

For about twenty minutes after I told my story, I cried.

I'd buried that chapter of my life deep inside myself, telling no one what happened. I put in a specific request for the police to make sure the story wasn't in the news, although the media did briefly mention it but thankfully kept both my name and Drew's name out of it. I told people my bruises, casts and weeks in hospital were the result of a car accident I'd been in with my grandfather, who miraculously got away unharmed. I told people I'd caught Drew with illegal drugs and refused to date a guy like that. I told people he felt so bad about it he turned himself into the police and that's why he was sent to juvie.

I didn't allow anyone to know the truth.

But now that I'd finally acknowledged my past, the pain felt just as real as when it had happened.

For the full twenty minutes, Brady held me and Lela comforted me. I cried until I felt physically exhausted.

"I'm sorry." I mumbled, dabbing my eyes. "I shouldn't have dumped all that on you."

"Mack don't be ridiculous." Brady half laughed.

"You know you can tell us anything." Lela added.

I smiled through my tears, purely grateful to have such amazing people in my life. I'd been very wary of Brady that day he'd found me crying at what turned out to be our private little sanctuary. I'd found my mother's diary for the first time and reading it felt so different to looking at photos of mum. The only photos I'd ever seen were pictures of her happily smiling, and never showing any emotion other than joy. She was posing for every picture.

But there was no posing in the diary. Her uncensored thoughts, her raw emotions were all documented on the old tearing pages.

It was the true evidence of her life, one that she'd lost when I was only three; one I had no memory of her having.

My longing to have known my mother, to have been a greater part of her life, it hit me all at once. I'd ran from home to gather my thoughts and certainly wasn't big on the idea of company.

Least of all by a teenager boy who could so greatly change his personality the way Drew had.

I now wish I could go back in time and tell my former self to relax and to open up around this stranger. I wish I could inform her about how sweet and understanding, how funny and all round amazing Brady is.

I wish I could tell her that less than two months into her friendship with him, she'd catch herself falling for him. Hard.

I wiped my face with tissues and pulled out a small container of foundation.

"Don't put make-up on Mack." Brady groaned.

That was literally his biggest pet peeve ever. Me putting on make-up.

"I have to." I argued. "My eyes are all puffy. And my skins gone all blotchy. Just let me put a little on."

"Fine." He said with over-exaggerated annoyance.

I applied a little bit of foundation, just enough to cover the signs I'd been crying and drew attention away from my swollen eyes with some mascara and eyeliner. I wanted to put blush and lip gloss on as well but I resisted assuming that might be pushing Brady's limits a little too far. As frustrating as it was, it was pretty sweet that Brady was so strongly against me covering my natural beauty with make-up.

"Thanks for listening guys." I said softly, embracing both of them in a hug.

"Ok well do you mind if we went back out there now? I kind of want to…" Lela trailed off.

I had completely forgotten about Lela's pregnancy when I saw Drew.

"Oh my gosh Lela I'm so sorry." I said, quickly rebounding off the bed. "This was supposed to be about you."

Lela shook her head.

"Oh no Mack. After a story like that you certainly aren't getting accused of stealing any limelight. I was just wondering if you would be ok with going back now or if you want to stay in here a little longer."

"No Lela I'm fine really."

I extended out both of my hands, Lela slipping her tiny hand into one and Brady taking the other. I helped them off the bed and we moved out of the room.

A completely clueless Giggles skipped up to me and threw her arms around my shoulders.

"Are you ok Mack?" She sounded genuinely concerned.

"I'm fine thankyou Giggles." I assured her with a smile to let her know I appreciated her asking.

"Well now that that's over, I need… uh, _we_ need to tell you something." She motioned for Tanner to come closer.

He walked over and wrapped his arms around her, and lined her neck with gentle kisses.

Butchy scowled and turned away, obviously knowing where this was going.

"Get on with it then." He snarled.

Lela looked hurt at her brothers lack of support.

"It's not that simple Butchy." She protested.

He turned back and looked her in the eyes.

"Oh really?"

"Wait, what isn't that simple?

"What's going on?

"I'm confused."

The others voiced their confusion.

"I'll tell you what's going on." Butchy said with a nasty snap.

"Butchy, don't." Lela said firmly.

Butchy ignored.

"Tanner-"

"Butchy I said don't." Lela raised her voice. She wasn't screaming, she wasn't even yelling. But she was louder and fiercer than I'd even heard her before."

Butchy glared straight at Tanner, looking as though he completely wanted to tear him to shreds.

"Outside. Now." He hissed.

"Can we at least just tell them first?" Lela had given up fighting, and was now purely pleading.

"Well I didn't say you had to come."

Lela let out a nervous laugh.

"I have every intention of seeing my boyfriend again. _Alive. _So yeah, if you're talking to him I am coming."

"You mean you have every intention of seeing Tanner alive again."

Lela titled her head.

"Isn't that what I said?"

"No, you said your boyfriend. Which is incorrect. Because I officially forbid you two from seeing each other."

**Ok remember shout outs begin next chapter! Ten reviews and I will update!**


	20. Let Me Go

**Ok well my first shout goes to a girl I have already given a shout out to once before but I'm going to give another one to Madii because her name has become very familiar. She reviews every chapter and she always makes me smile. Her reviews are always at least a paragraph long and full of positive comments and she's awesome. Thanks Madii, your amazing. **

Chapter Twenty

Brady's P.O.V

Shocked glances were exchanged between everyone in the room. Mack bit down on her thumb. Struts popped the bubble she'd been blowing out of cherry gum with her tongue. Chee Chee smacked her lips together.

Giggles scampered over towards Butchy and wrapped her arms around his shoulders.

"Butchy calm down." She cooed.

It was obvious Butchy wasn't prepared to give up this fight, but his muscles instantly relaxed and he looked a little less tense as Giggles kissed him softly on the cheek.

"What could Lela and Tanner possibly have done-"

"I'm pregnant." Lela cut her off.

The reactions passed through the gang, each reaction completely different.

Naturally, Mack and I didn't react at all, but more focused on the others.

Butchy's face filled with rage once again. Giggles's eyes bulged and her jaw clenched. Chee Chee loudly gasped and smacked her hands to her mouth. Struts jaw dropped, the tiny piece of gum slipping off her bottom lip and landing in the sink. SeaCat took a large step back. Rascal completely froze. And Lugnut looked from Lela to Tanner to Butchy, his eyes darting furiously.

They were all in pure shock.

"S-say… say… say that again." Struts tripped over her attempt at speaking.

"No!" Butchy waved an accusing finger in the brunette bikers face. "I've heard those words twice already this morning. Don't need to hear them again."

"Alright alright let's just breathe here." Giggles stepped in again.

"Breathe?" Butchy repeated the word, spitting it like it was poison. "Did you hear what she just said?"

"Yes I did." Giggles said calmly.

"Alright this is way too chaotic." Mack threw her hands above her head, obviously getting flustered.

"Tanner." Butchy said through gritted teeth. "I was serious. Outside."

Lela clutched his hand protectively.

"You aren't coming." Butchy scowled at his little sister.

And Lela _actually _laughed. Although, it was much more of a nervous, forced chuckle then a genuine laugh.

"You aren't the boss of me."

Everyone went silent. Tanner and Giggles backed up a little, giving the siblings some space. Everyone in the room seemed know they should do something before things got out of hand –Mack and I especially- but no one wanted to get in the way of this.

These past insane, and incredibly eventful days, Mack and I had been on top of our guests, keeping them in line and keeping everything as sane as it could be.

But not even we wanted to mess with this.

"Too bloody right I am the boss of you." He snarled.

"I'm seventeen. I'm old enough to make my own decisions."

"But too young to be having a baby."

"What does that change?"

"Everything!"

"You've been bossing me around since we were toddlers. You're only two years older than me. I'm sick of it."

"I've done a better job at raising you than mum and dad ever could."

"And I'm grateful for that. But you can't tell me what I can and can't do forever. Especially not when it comes to Tanner."

Butchy snorted.

"So what he gets you pregnant and suddenly I can't tell you what to do when it comes to him?"

"This has nothing to do with me being pregnant. If you told me I couldn't see him before then I would have said the same thing."

"You know you could have at least come to me first."

"What's _that_ supposed to mean?"

"Before you and Tanner…. I would have appreciated some opinion in when you were ready."

"I don't need your permission!"

I was completely stunned. I'd never heard Lela stand up to Butchy, nor had I seen her so aggressive. I was so used to sweet adorable Lela. This side was quite a shock.

Out of everything Lela had said, this infuriated Butchy the most.

"Excuse me?"

"I said, I don't, need, your, permission." She slowed her words right down.

"You don't need my permission to take a step as big as sleeping with someone?"

"No, I don't. As I said before, I'm seventeen and I'm old enough to decide for myself."

"And you did. And look how that turned out!"

Lela blinked hard, fighting tears.

"I've spent my whole life taking orders from you. I became a biker, just like you. I dressed the way you wanted me to. I grew up hating surfers because you did. The one time I ever do something without you approving, the one time I make a mistake, the one time I need you to listen to me instead of vice versa and you can't. You can't get over the fact I did something without you being in control of it long enough to realize that I really need you right now."

A single tear rolled off Lela's cheek. She brushed it away quickly.

Wordlessly, Butchy dabbed his sister's damp eyes and took her into his arms.

"I'm sorry." He whispered.

"Yeah. Me too."

An awkward silence fell over the group. SeaCat broke it.

"So what now?"

"I don't know." Lela admitted.

"Yeah me neither." Butchy seconded.

"I do." Tanner smirked.

Mack and I exchanged a worried look and her grip on my hand tightened.

_Please Tanner. _I thought. _Don't do or say anything that's going to make Butchy madder. _

Tanner's smirk extended to a grin, which extended to a smile and then a full beam as he led Lela by the hand away from her brother.

He led her to the door, and then stopped. He slipped his right hand inside the pocket of Mack's jeans that Lela was wearing and pulled out the handkerchief she kept on her. Her tied it around her eyes, concealing her vision.

Instinctively, Lela threw her hands in front of her face and waved them around.

"Tanner!" She hissed. "I hate not being able to see!"

"Too bad." He laughed. "You have to be blindfolded for this surprise.

"I'm going to run into something. Or trip over something. Or both."

"No you won't."

"Tanner! Yes I will!"

"I'll guide you."

"Don't trip me over."

"I won't I promise."

"Pinky swear?" Lela raised a fist in the air, her pinky finger standing tall.

None of us could help but giggle at how purely innocent and adorable Lela really was.

Tanner's smile widened and he curled his own pinky around hers.

"Pinky swear." He echoed.

He opened the front door and, whether or not we were supposed to, we all followed him as he placed his hands on his girlfriend's and steered her out onto the porch.

And then almost everyone squealed.

**Nine reviews for an update! Xxxx **


	21. Popping Balloons Can Have Crazy Outcomes

**Ok this shout out goes to Koons41 for the message I was sent. Koons41 sent me a message congratulating me on 200 reviews and I was super excited about reaching that many reviews so it was awesome that someone actually congratulated me on it. **

Chapter Twenty-One:

Mack's P.O.V

Startled and pleasantly surprised squeals rose from the crowd, and after multiple seconds, Lela was squealing as well.

"Wait." She declared, stopping abruptly. "Why are we squealing?"

Lela was the only one who couldn't see what we could. Her black and red handkerchief was still tightly bound around her skull.

"Why are you squealing?" Tanner asked, gently picking at the knot he'd tied the hanky in.

Lela shrugged.

"Actually I don't know. Everyone else was squealing so I kind of just joined in. Can I take the blindfold off now?"

With a sharp breathe in, Tanner removed the fabric, returning Lela's sight.

Now she could see what we could.

Lela's chocolate brown eyes widened and she stumbled towards the end of my porch, her slim fingers covering her mouth, that was forming an O.

"Oh Tanner." She whispered, barely audible.

Spelled out with seashells in the soft sand were the words

**I LOVE YOU LELA **

Lela began tearing up.

"Tanner this is amazing." She gasped, tears escaping her eyes sockets.

No one could stop themselves from grinning, and soon we were all smiling like idiots, beams plastered to our faces.

Even Butchy was moved by how sweet the gesture was.

Somewhere in the time we were all admiring the set-up, Tanner had disappeared.

"Tanner?" Lela called, spinning in a small circle. "Where did you go?"

A few moment later, Tanner returned from inside the house, lugging a large sack with him.

"Where did you get that?" I asked, pointing towards the sack. "And what's in it?"

"I'll answer that question after Mack." Tanner answered, moving back over to Lela.

"After what?"

This time, Tanner ignored me.

He opened the sack to reveal at least nine more dark pink balloons, and removed a sharp stick from the pocket of my jacket he had on. He held the stick out to his girlfriend, who accepted it wearily.

"Pop them." He instructed.

Lela beamed and proceeded to stab one of the balloons. It burst and pink and purple glitter sprayed everywhere. Lela giggled in delight.

"GLITTER!" She squeaked, jumping up and down and clapping her hands. Just like we all had when Lela had made Tanner pinky swear, everyone laughed at how cute Lela was.

With over exaggerated excitement, Lela popped balloon after balloon, some with the stick, and others with her foot. When all the balloons were popped, Lela laughed and laughed and it was so refreshing to see her happy instead of vomiting her guts up or crying.

"I think you missed something." Tanner whispered.

"I did?" Lela looked puzzled.

"Yes, you did."

Lela stared back at him, then at the empty sack.

"Are there more balloons?"

"No, you missed something that came out of the balloons."

"No I saw all the glitter." Lela insisted. Tanner laughed.

"I'm not talking about glitter." He swallowed hard and knelt down, propped up on one knee.

His fingers scrubbed the ground until they locked around a small object.

My eyes strained to see what he was holding, even though I had a pretty good idea.

Tanner pushed a diamond ring up between his thumb and his index finger and Lela screamed.

Everyone gasped in perfect unison.

"Lela." He bit his lip. "I love you more than I love my own family. I love you more than I love the perfect wave or my surfboard. I love you more than amazing weather. I love you more than my hair or spray tan. I'd skip the ultimate night out with all my friends just to spend five minutes alone with you. It isn't a question between spending the day with you and riding a forty foot wave. I'm so excited about learning to ride a motorbike, not because it's something I've always wanted to do but once I've learnt it will be one more thing I can do with you, and I love our lessons because it gives you an excuse to put your arms around me. If I had it my way it would be you and me and no one else forever. I bought this ring and all these balloons yesterday morning before we left the hotel while you were a sleep, wanting this moment to be special and planned but not actually thinking of doing it for a long time, months or maybe even years from now. But when you told me you were pregnant, I realized it had to be done. I snuck out and set up these shells while you were in talking to Mack. I was freaking out in there that Butchy was actually going to press us to go outside because than you see the surprise but I guess it wouldn't really matter. I'd get down on one knee in front of your furious brother who wants to see my head on a stick if I had to. I don't care Lela. Nothing is ever going to stop me from loving you. So now I'm going to ask you something. Lela, will you marry me?"

The tears falling from Lela's eyes were unstoppable. She opened her mouth to reply three times but nothing came out. I kept waiting for her to check how Butchy was taking all this but she didn't.

She didn't even glance in his direction.

"Awww Mack." Brady cooed, tapping my face.

I hadn't even realized I was crying myself.

I would have been kind of embarrassed if Struts, Giggles and Chee didn't have tears streaking their faces as well.

Lela opened her mouth a fourth time, but again closed it with no words formed.

"You don't have to say anything Lela." Tanner assured her. "Just say yes."

Lela closed her eyes and more tears fell, and I began to wonder if she was crying because what Tanner said was so beautiful or because she didn't know how to say no.

I could tell I wasn't the only one thinking this. Worried looks settled over everyone's faces, including Tanner's.

After what seemed like never ending silence, Lela bit down hard on her thumb.

"I'm sorry Tanner." She whispered. "But I can't marry you."

His face completely fell.

**Well there you go. Like a million of you wanted, Tanner proposed but probably didn't get the reaction you all wanted. Nine reviews for an update!**


	22. Happy Endings Are So Overated

**Wow… I updated and in the space of ten hours I've received seventeen reviews. I'm not going to give a shout out this chapter because I couldn't pick a single reader, nearly every review made me smile. You guys get so into this story! Omg it's incredible! **

Chapter Twenty-Two

Brady's P.O.V

Everyone went totally silent.

Lela covered her face with both of her palms. Her shoulders shook and gasping noises escaped her mouth, she appeared to be crying quite heavily.

But she wasn't. It took me a moment to realize that she wasn't crying at all.

She was laughing.

She slid her hands off her face. It was tear streaked but she wasn't currently crying. Her pink lips were curved into a smile and her eyes were glistening.

"I can't marry you…." She giggled. "Because you haven't put the ring on my finger yet!"

The relief washed over Tanner's face faster than I've ever seen anyone change their emotion.

He pushed the ring onto Lela's index finger and stood to his feet.

"Don't you ever do that to me again." He warned, but his smile was uncontainable.

"Well you're only going to propose once!" Lela defended. Then she laughed again.

"I got you so bad." She whispered, wrapping her arms around his neck. Tanner hooked his around her waist and pulled her in. "As if I was going to say no when you charmed me with glitter!"

Everyone watching the helplessly romantic scene giggled, gasped and breathed sighs of relief, but the newly engaged couple seemed to have completely forgotten we were even there.

The lips were locked in a passionate kiss, their bodies melting together. In the short two second breaks they took in between kissing their noses and foreheads were pressed together.

All the tension that had greedily claimed the atmosphere, all the yelling and screaming that had only just occurred, and above all Lela's pregnancy and the struggle it caused, in that heartbeat none of it mattered.

"I think we should go make breakfast." It was pretty much impossible to tell whether Lela was talking to all of us or just to Tanner.

"You really want to eat?" Tanner looked surprise.

"Well I'm going to be throwing up all day anyway so might as well." She shrugged.

"I think we should go out for breakfast." I pitched.

"Perfect." Lela whispered.

Silence fell over the crowd, and no one seemed to really know what to do next.

Lela let her arms slip off Tanner's neck and shoulders and turned to face the group.

"WE'RE GETTING MARRIED!" She screamed as if none of us had just seen her accept Tanner's proposal, but everyone whooped and cheered as if they were only hearing the news for the first time.

"Yeah ok it's all very sweet and romantic and blah blah blah can we get food now?" Lugnut cracked.

"Yes food!" SeaCat agreed, high fiving the biker.

"Food isn't important right now!" Chee Chee's hands were on her hips.

"Food's always important!" Rascal joined in.

"Nobody cares what you think; you're the weird one remember?" Struts half-joked.

"Look I'm hungry ok?" Lugnut threw his arms up.

"And one of my best friends just got engaged. More important then you being hungry." Giggles voice was full of sass and she was working her head as she spoke.

"No, it isn't!" He snapped back.

"Ok ok time out." Seacat waved his hands in front of him. "Me, Lugnut and Rascal are going to go and get food. You can all join us when you get your priorities straight.

"Ok well actually I'd like to take advantage of this moment when I don't feel sick to get some food down." Lela locked hands with Tanner. "So I'm going with the boys."

"Me too." I announced, dragging Mack down the porch steps with me.

Reluctantly, Chee Chee and Struts followed, and Giggles and Butchy brought up the rear hand in hand. Giggles seemed to be trying to get him to take advantage of the romantic atmosphere, continuously batting her eyelashes or tossing her hair over shoulder, or cuddling up closer to Butchy. But he hardly seemed to notice. He was deep in thought, starring at a non-existent point off in the distance.

What he was thinking about was impossible to read.

Lela and Tanner walked far ahead of the group, their hands locked, skipping with virtually no space in between them.

Mack decided to take the gang to one of her all-time favorite cafes just a few minutes away from her house by foot. She shouted directions at the couple on where to go as they refused to let her overtake them and lead.

We arrived at the café and slumped down in three four seat tables side by side. Giggles, Butchy, Struts and Chee Chee sat at the table on the left, Tanner, Lela, Mack and I sat at the table in the middle and Rascal, Lugnut and SeaCat sat at the table on the left.

Everyone ordered and made excited conversation. Chee Chee, Struts and Giggles discussed really cute bridesmaid's dresses they'd seen and whether or not they should buy the gowns here in the modern day or back home, whilst the boys purely seemed more fascinated by the food available.

Lela narrowed her eyes at her best friends.

"Who said you're the bridesmaids?" She teased. Chee Chee folded her arms across her chest.

"Sorry darling." She drawled. "But you ain't getting married without me."

"_Us." _ Struts corrected pointedly.

"Oh whatever."

Lela giggled.

"I'm kidding. Of course I want you as bridesmaids."

Suddenly, she looked a little nervous.

"Mack?" She whispered. "Will you be a bridesmaid as well?"

Mack look genuinely taken back.

"Me? I can't!"

"Please!" Lela begged. "Can't you and Brady use that A.E thing to come see us just on the wedding day?"

It took everything I had to suppress my laughter.

Mack bit her lip, and I knew she wouldn't be able to say no to Lela.

"I'm sure we can work something out." She sighed finally.

Lela clapped her hands.

"Oh my gosh yay!" She squealed.

Then the colour fell from her face.

"What?" I asked, spinning around to follow her gaze.

Mack did the same and froze.

The waiter was coming over to us, pushing a trolley with our food.

A pen was tucked behind his ear and nuzzled in his dirty blonde hair. A white apron was tied around his waist and his admittedly well-built torso was hugged by a tight fitting uniform. His dark brown eyes sparkled as he placed to plates of food down in front of Struts and Chee Chee. He removed more plates from the trolley and set them down in front of the people who put their hands up, not once taking his eyes off Mack.

The waiter was Drew.


	23. Panic Attacks Make Hearts Grow Fonder

**Ok this shout out goes to IloveTBM because that's a name I have become quite familiar with. IloveTBM constantly reviews and always has positive things to say about my story. **

Chapter Twenty-Three

Mack's P.O.V

My mind was moving a lot faster than my body.

_Run to the bathroom! No, that's an awful idea, remember what happened last time? Just excuse yourself and leave the café! No, I can't do that, this is Lela and Tanner's engagement breakfast. Get up and go buy a drink from the counter! No, he'll just follow you and get away with it because apparently he works here now. Just chill out would you? Smile! Don't show him you're afraid. Say hello! Maybe he'll leave you alone because there are other people around. Yeah, cause that's exactly what he did when he so shamelessly kissed you back at the house. Talk to Brady! DO SOMETHING!_

But in spite of all these thoughts, I couldn't bring a single limb to move.

"Hey Kenzie." He smirked with that smile that made me feel nauseous.

Brady snapped something at Drew and Drew commented back and soon enough they were in what sounded like a heated argument but for the life of me I couldn't make out what they were saying. The room began to spin and the boys voices were numbed out by a heavy ringing in my ears. My eyes landed on the bathroom but I couldn't settle my gaze on one thing. My eyes darted from side to side and my heart sped up, and suddenly I became certain Drew was going to grab me and hurt me in some way.

I knew exactly what was happening. I was having a panic attack.

I had them a lot within Drew's first month at juvie. Most of them occurred in the middle of the night after a bad dream but sometimes I'd think I saw Drew at school or on the street and a panic attack would start up. The last time I'd had an attack it was long before I'd met Brady, but I still remembered exactly how I'd gotten through them.

The first times had been scaring but my grandfather had always been at my side when they happened, whispering to me, trying to different techniques to calm me down. The most effective we'd found was if he just sat their silently holding my hand, not talking apart from the occasional "shhh" and "you're ok", but just simply holding my hand so until I relaxed so I knew he was right there.

I slipped my hand onto Brady's knee and took his hand tightly in my own. He didn't acknowledge me a first, since it wasn't exactly out of the ordinary for Brady and I to hold hands.

But I must have done something. My breathing must have picked up or I must have been squeezing his hand too tightly because abruptly his and Drew's muffled voices stopped and he turned to me.

He muttered something that sounded like my name, and cupped my cheek with his hand.

"Mack!" He said louder this time so that I could clearly hear him. I couldn't find a voice to respond or even look at him. This panic attack was now depriving me of air and the entire room was spinning. I willed myself not to pass out.

The nauseous feeling thickened and my stomach tightened. I'd decided to try and avoid the bathroom because having Drew in a restaurant and being in the restroom would bring back bad memories, but if I was going to be sick there wasn't much I could do about it. Throwing up had been a rare side effect of the worst panic attacks, but it had happened.

And this one certainly felt bad enough to be classified as one of my worst.

I excused myself and sprinted across the café and to the bathroom. I spent a lot more time dry reaching then I did actually being sick, so I knew this wasn't as bad as I thought. I guess I'd kind of just freaked out that they panic attacks were starting again and gotten myself really worked up.

After a few deep breaths I could feel my trembling body stabilizing and my panic attack drawing itself to a close.

My hearing returned just enough so that when the bathroom door pushed open and someone called my name, I could tell whoever it was was male.

But these were the female bathrooms, which instantly led me to believe it could only be one person.

In my state I hadn't locked the stall door and now, once again in spite of my racing mind directing me otherwise, I couldn't move.

"Mack? Where are you?" The boy called again, in almost a sing song tone.

Where was Brady? Why had he let Drew come in after me?

I closed my eyes and held my breath, even though my still recovering body was oxygen deprived as it was.

I heard my stall door creak open and sensed a second presence in the stall with me, but I didn't dare open my eyes.

When I felt the shadow bend over, I braced myself for what was coming next.

But all they did was tuck my hair behind my ear.

I opened my right eye first, then my left eye.

It wasn't Drew. It was Brady.

He stood back up and locked the door, then sat down on the toilet floor behind me.

"What was that all about?" He asked softly.

"You aren't allowed in here." I replied numbly.

"Says who?"

"Ummm the law?"

"Screw the law! I'm a lot more concerned about you. What happened?"

I knew it would take one hell of a lie to convince him that what he just saw was completely normal, and I hated lying to Brady anyway. So I gave him an explanation of my panic attacks, keeping it as brief as possible.

"Oh Mack." He sighed when I was finished. I thought he'd think I was insane, but it certainly wasn't a wow-you-are-completely-off-the-rails-oh-Mack, but more like a –you-poor-thing-let-me-hold-you-and-love-you-oh-Ma ck. I quickly scolded myself for ever believing Brady would think I was crazy.

He hugged my tightly.

"You know." I whispered. "This morning I've shared a lot of my past with you, but even though I pride myself on knowing everything about you from your favorite flavored ice cream to your life goals and dreams, I don't know much about _your _past."

"Eh, my past is boring." He chuckled.

"Really?" I questioned. "Nothing happened worth sharing?"

"Well… there is this one day from my past… about a year ago.."

This sparked my attention.

"What happened?"

"Well, I was watching the most beautiful sunset with this amazing girl, one who I'd been totally friend zoned by. She was the most gorgeous human being I'd ever met, she was down to earth and easy to talk to. She was friendly and above all she was real. She didn't try to pretend to be something she wasn't like half the other wanna be Barbie dolls you see roaming the streets. I had the biggest crush on her, but I never thought she'd ever feel the same way."

I smiled. I knew he was talking about me, but I played along anyway.

"Then what happened?"

"We kissed."

"Really?" How was it?"

"Incredible. Kissing Jennifer Lopez is something you never forget."

I dropped my jaw and playfully slapped him across the arm.

"I'm kidding I'm kidding!" He said defensively raising his hands like he was being arrested.

He paused.

"Now about that whole me being in the female toilets being illegal thing…"

I laughed.

"I was serious. You should probably leave."

"Not without you."

"Yeah… you understand how it's going to look to people who know we're a couple if we exit a public toilet together?"

He shrugged.

"Who cares what they think? Besides it might put Drew in his place."

"Drew probably knows you only came in here to comfort me."

Brady smirked, the way he did when he was getting a mischievous idea.

"Mack.. do you still have that lip gloss you take everywhere with you?"

I removed the pink gloss from my pocket.

"Good. Put it on."

Oh good. He wanted me to put on make-up. This can't be good. I eyed him suspiciously but did as I was told.

Once I was finished, Brady took his thumb and smudged the gloss. Then, he used both hands to completely mess up my hair, then did the same to his own.

"Is he still going to think I simply comforted you now?" He grinned.

"Yeah, but just not in the same way." I laughed.

Brady pretended to think.

"You know, now that I think about it, your gloss looks like it was smudged with fingers, not lips."

"Well, I whispered, leaning in close. "We'll just have to fix that won't we?"

**Ok people you know the drill. You review. I update. Xxxx**


	24. And She Didn't Even Invite Me!

**No shout out this time, the reviews were all to amazing to pick from! Instead I'll use this author's note to apologize, I know this update is late but I am trying to equally divide my time between this story and a novel I am writing, called Music To Her Ears. So yeah.. that's all Xxxxx enjoy!**

Chapter Twenty-Four:

Brady's P.O.V

Things got very heated, very quickly.

My lips melted passionately into Mack's and I gripped her back, pulling her into me as close as she physically could, desperate to get as much of her as possible.

Unfortunately, about as quickly the gentle kisses had progressed into a make out session, they ended completely.

Mack fully retreated and unintentionally moaned at the loss of her body.

"Come on." She laughed. "My lip gloss is smudged enough. Besides, I think we can find a slightly more romantic place for this."

As reluctant as I was to end our passionate encounter, I had to agree with her.

"Besides." She added, helping me off the floor. "Our breakfast is probably going cold."

We walked out of the bathroom hand in hand, thankfully avoiding the staffs attention, but not anyone else's. Just as Mack had predicted, people were staring and whispering.

But we didn't really care. It was only Drew's reaction that fazed us.

His jaw dropped and his eyes popped. We sat down and lustfully looked each other in the eyes, just centimeters away from Drew. Our plan had had the desired effect. Drew was obviously convinced that certain "things" had happened in the bathroom, eliminating any chance of him and Mack.

Because in that sicko's mind, there had been a chance.

Mack playfully tapped my nose, then pretended to notice for the first time that Drew was still standing at our table.

"You still here?" She asked.

"Yeah… you took off kind of suddenly then Brady went after you and I just wanted to make sure you were ok."

Mack was do really well at playing the my-boyfriend-and-I-totally-just-slept-together-in- toilets card, and pretended to look really embarrassed.

"Oh…" She mumbled. "I'm fine. Brady and I were just… talking."

The only downside to this thing was that we had the others fooled as well. They eyed us in shock, and seemed to be terrible at lip reading when I tried to mouth to them we were faking it.

Drew narrowed his eyes.

"Talking huh?" He nodded. "Ok. Well you might want to fix your hair. And that colour looks good on you Brady."

And with that he walked away, leaving Mack to obsessively finger comb her waves and me to wipe off Mack's lip gloss that had stained my own lips.

"You guys are unbelievable!" Chee Chee hissed under her breath.

Mack rolled her eyes and explained what was actually going on, which caused Chee Chee to change her expression very suddenly.

"Oh. Well in that case, congratulations that was awesome! Did you see the look on his face?"

Lela's stomach gurgled loudly and she excuse herself, quickly sprinting to the bathroom Brady and I had just come from.

"Poor Lela." Struts commented solemnly.

"Yeah, poor Lela." Lugnut agreed, those his voice expressed no actual sympathy. He was far too busy stuffing his face with food.

Once Lela had returned we finished our breakfast with no further interruptions, not from Lela's morning sickness –or more to the point with the way she was going, all day and night sickness- or Drew.

The rest of the day was rather standard; the surfers spent most of it on the beach aside from Tanner, who tended to sick Lela's every need, Mack's grandfather called to check in on me and it took all I had not to tell him Lela and Tanner got engaged, Mack showed the girls how to browse online bridal stores and I actually got hour alone with her at our old hang out spot after occupying the gang.

As the day came to an end, I noticed a big change in Butchy since the morning. While he had been all tough and rough and don't-mess-with-me, he was now quiet and withdrawn and had been ever since Tanner had got down on one knee, almost nine hours ago.

Once everyone was settled and ready for bed Mack and I slipped into her grandfather's room and asked Lugnut if he would mind leaving the room for fifteen minutes or so, so that we ccould talk to Butchy (even though it would be more Mack talking then me). Unwillingly, he obliged.

"Hey Butchy." Mack to sound nonchalant as we slumped down on the end of the bed. He was flicking through the motorbike magazine she'd hired Lugnut from the library and didn't look up at us

"Yes?" Was all we got.

"What's up?"

"The roof."

"I mean with you."

"I'm reading."

"I can see that."

"And yet you're interrupting me. Is there a point to that?"

Mack sighed.

"I just wanted to see how you were taking this whole Lela-Tanner engagement thing?"

"What's it to ya?"

"I was just asking."

"And now I'm asking why ya care."

"Because you're my friend! And I remember you telling me I was the only surfer you really liked."

Butchy rolled his eyes.

"Yeah ok, out of all the surfers I know I get along with you the best. But I pretty much hate the rest of em so don't get excited."

"I'm not I'm simply asking you if you're ok."

"And I'm simply telling you it's none of your business."

"Ok." She raised my arm in defeat. At least we tried.

We dragged ourselves back down the hall, heavily exhausted from the events of the day. Mack walked into the guest bedroom first and wished SeaCat and Rascal a good night sleep, then I went into the lounge room and said goodnight to Lela and Tanner, and told Lugnut he could return to his temporary room. I sat with Lela and Tanner for a while then decided to call it a night.

I returned to Mack's room and was about to flick off the light when I noticed what was wrong with picture in front of me.

Mack was half asleep, flicking channels on the small TV she had in her bedroom. Struts was on the mattress propped on her elbows also watching the TV, and Giggles was lying beside her reading _Romeo and Juliet_, a book she'd taken from my girlfriend's cupboard. Mack had granted her permission to take any of her books when she'd found out she shared her love of reading.

But there was no sign of Chee Chee.

Giggles looked up from her book.

"Where's Chee Chee?" She asked casually.

"I was about to ask you the same question."

Mack rolled over.

"She isn't with you?" She yawned.

"No. And she isn't in the house either."

"Of course she's in the house." Struts argued.

I shook my head.

"No, she isn't. I just did my rounds and said goodnight to everyone."

I was starting to panic and so was Giggles and Mack, but Struts just shrugged it off. `

"She probably went out to a party or something. It is school holidays, after all."

"Without even telling us?"

"Yep. She does it all the time on Friday's, Saturday's and school holidays. Even ask Lela. Countless times she's snuck out of our pajama parties between the hours of seven pm and midnight and returned in the late morning, usually with a hangover."

I couldn't believe what I was hearing, and apparently, neither could Mack.

"So, she randomly left you parties to go to something better?"

Struts nodded.

"Not just our sleepovers. Sometimes when the three of us agreed to meet up somewhere she just wouldn't turn up, and then when we quizzed her about where she'd been she never lied. She always admitted she'd met up with a boy on the way and bailed on us to go see a movie with him or walked past a bar that was holding a drinking game and thought she'd join in. Almost every time she ditched us we'd later find her either drunk or hung-over."

Giggles gasped.

"Chee Chee has never bailed on me!" She cried.

Struts laughed.

"Because you've only been her friend for like a week so she's in her security stage. She does that with new friends. For the first month or so into the friendship she'll never miss a date to hang out, in fact she'll ditch her previous plans for you instead of vice versa. She'll go out of her way to secure the friendship and then, once it's clear you are her friend and you aren't going anywhere, she'll stop trying to please you. That's just her."

Mack rubbed her eyes sleepily.

"Alright let's just go to bed. I don't know where Chee Chee would have gone – she doesn't know anyone. But anyway I'll talk to her tomorrow and tell her I don't have a problem with her going out but she has to let someone know first. Whether she does it all the time or not, she can't just go missing while she's staying here."

And with murmured agreement from my peers, I climbed into bed, turned the TV off and one by one we fell asleep. We had every intention of getting a good rest and dealing with a most likely hung over Chee Chee tomorrow.

But that never happened. Because Chee Chee never showed up.

**Nine reviews and I update, I think you've got that by now.**


	25. Girlfriend Or Sex Object? Time To Decide

**Alright I would like to apologize for a major mistake I made in my previous chapter that –crazy enough- none of you noticed or if you did, didn't mention it in the reviews. Half way through the chapter that was written in Brady's P.O.V, I changed to Mack's P.O.V. I would love to say I did it on purpose to see if you guys would notice but I didn't I simply started writing the chapter, my mum called me for dinner and when I went back to writing it I thought the chapter was from Mack's P.O.V for whatever reason. Anyway I took the chapter down, re-wrote it and re posted it so if you'd like to re-read it in a version that makes sense knock yourselves out. **

**Also, shout out goes to Baily. Baily's review was the one that made me smile the most this time. Thankyou for being amazing!**

Chapter Twenty-Five:

Mack's P.O.V

I think it was about 12pm we started to get worried.

In the morning we woke around 8am as usual, dressed, showered, and ate, the morning routine taking until 10am since there were eleven of us.

Aside from Brady, Giggles and I who had already received the explination, Lela and Struts were the only ones weren't surprised by Chee Chee's absence. Even Butchy and Lugnut, who have been Chee Chee's friends since she was little found her sudden disappearance quite strange, but then again the only times they actually hung out were when the whole Rodents gang went riding or when they held a massive party, to occasions Chee Chee wouldn't miss for the world.

But as the clock ticked over and our bodies began to hunger for lunch, even Lela and Struts admitted Chee Chee never came back from a party this late. Typically, she came home around nine or ten in need of rest.

Chee Chee didn't have a mobile phone and it was doubtful she had any money on her for pay phones. I only hoped she arrived back soon or borrowed someone's mobile to let us know where she was. Then again, did she even have mine or Brady's number?

No she didn't. And why would I give it to her? She didn't have a mobile, heck, she didn't even know how to use one! And I didn't exactly anticipate her suddenly disappearing because she felt like it.

We ate lunch and the day was fairly quiet, and I couldn't help feeling that was because loud, energetic, hyperactive Chee Chee wasn't here. By three pm, we all agreed something wasn't right.

"Chee Chee should have been home long ago." Struts comments, twirling a piece of auburn hair around her finger.

"The bitch shouldn't have gone out at all." Butchy remarked smugly.

"Language!" Giggles scolded, gently slapping her boyfriend across the arm. He mumbled apology.

"Seriously guys something isn't right. I-"

"I have a confession." SeaCat interrupted Lela.

"Yes?" Brady asked cautiously, raising an eyebrow.

SeaCat inhaled sharply.

"CheeCheeandIaredating." He gushed in one breath.

"What was that?" I tapped my ear, even though I'd heard him perfectly.

He let out the breath heavily.

"Me and Chee Chee… we're kind of seeing each other."

"Wow." Giggles smiled. "Do the shocks around here ever end?"

"You and Chee Chee huh?" Lela couldn't resist a smirk, which progressed to a smile, which progressed to a giggle.

SeaCat's eyes widened as a helpless Brady and I joined in the laugh.

"Did you guys know?"

"No no no." Brady waved his hand dismissively. "We didn't know anything."

The three of us put on the most serious expressions we could muster, but within three seconds we were laughing again.

"You did!" His jaw dropped and none of us could catch our breath long enough to deny it. "How?"

"Dude, you should tell your girlfriend to chill out and not smash things during make out sessions." Brady spluttered.

SeaCat smacked his palm against his face.

"So, may I ask a question?" Lela piped. She proceeded with her question before SeaCat actually gave her permission. "Why were you and Chee Chee scared of each other?"

"What do you mean?"

"The first morning here. You and Chee Chee like, freaked when you saw each other."

"They did?" Tanner questioned.

"Yes, they did. But you were too busy playing Master Chef."

SeaCat sighed.

"The first night here I got up to go the bathroom and then Chee Chee showed up so I let her go first because, well, ladies first is pretty much the basic rule of being a gentlemen, and then as she was coming out she was half asleep and she tripped on the slope and fell into me, and our lips kind of touched."

SeaCat went slightly read re-counting what had happened, but we pretended not to notice for the sake of hearing the rest of the story.

"I'd never really liked Chee Chee, not even as a friend, but when we kissed I suddenly saw her in a completely different light. But she seemed really wireded out so I pretended I was too, and we agreed never to speak of it again. But the next day I couldn't keep it to myself so I confessed to her I actually liked kissing her and she confessed the same back to me, and then we found out we both only acted creeped out because we thought the other one was. And then we sort of started dating."

The end of his story was met with a chorus of "awwws" which SeaCat responded to with "oh shut up."

"So, you're worried about Chee Chee?" Struts smirked. SeaCat recoiled back.

"What? No. I don't love her or anything. What I meant when I said I saw her in a different light, I meant she suddenly became hot."

Rascal raised an eyebrow.

"Really?"

"Yes really!" He defended. "And if she doesn't come back I don't get anymore make out sessions!"

"That's it? That's all you're concerned about?" Lugnut teased.

"Of course!" He fought back once again. "I'm too to chill to fall in love. And besides, if she doesn't come back, I don't get sex."

"Whoa, way too much information." Lela waved her arms in front of her face.

"You don't get to play prude virgin anymore miss up-the-duffy!" Struts pointed out matter-of-factly. At the mention of Lela's sex life, Butchy almost immediately gained the look of withdrawal on his face, as if he was blocking everyone out.

"I have to say, it does suck if you hook up with a girl and she goes missing before you even get to sleep with her." Lugnut nodded.

"See!" SeaCat waved his arms. "He gets it!"

"You guys are terrible!" I put my hands on my hips, even though I was simply playing along.

SeaCat body language, tone and words said I just want my object back, but people's eyes are what tell the truth.

And right now, his screamed please find Chee Chee. I'm really worried.

**Could this chapter get ten reviews please guys? Xxxx! **


	26. Drunk

Chapter Twenty-Six:

Brady's P.O.V

That night we stayed up virtually all night watching movies. Somewhere between the end scene of _High School Musical 3 _and the first scene of _The Lion King _I fell asleep. Mack and I were snuggled up on one of the recliners, Butchy had taken the other, Lela and Tanner were in their fold-out bed and everyone else was sprawled out in a makeshift bed of blankets on the floor. Very few people were still awake when I dozed off, Mack, Lela, Giggles, Rascal and Tanner were all sound asleep.

But sometime during the end credits of _The Lion King_, Mack's doorbell went off, startling both me and my girlfriend awake.

"What time is it?" Mack mumbled sleepily. At that point Struts had also fallen asleep and only Butchy and SeaCat remained awake.

"Umm…. 3.07am." SeaCat told her, referring to the time on the TV.

"Who the heck could be ringing the doorbell at this time?" She groaned. She pulled herself off me but then I insisted she sit back down and I'd get it, and, obviously very tired, she didn't argue.

The doorbell went off again.

"Coming!" I called, quickly fixing the mess made of out blonde hair that was sitting on top of my head.

Either the person didn't hear me or just didn't care, because the doorbell went off again.

My fingers gripped the knob but a sudden chilling made me stop as my blood began to boil.

I remembered how when Drew was at the door, he repeatedly, impatiently rang the bell until someone had answered.

What if it was him? It made sense. What other weirdo rang someone's bell this early in the morning?

I snuck a glance at Mack who, in the short time it had taken me to walk from the recliner to the door, had fallen back asleep.

I made the decision that if it was Drew, I wouldn't take any of his crap. I wouldn't let him disrupt Mack or the others who were asleep, I'd been firm but not aggressive with him, and if he refused to leave I'd call the cops.

And if that didn't work, I'd punch the loser in the face.

With a sudden burst of determination and quickly found preparation, I swung open the door.

But it wasn't Drew.

There, one the front porch, stood a very drunk Chee Chee.

She was rocking back and forth, and, seemingly oblivious to my presence, continued to ring to doorbell.

"Chee Chee!" I hissed under my breath. "Get in here."

"Ok!" She shrieked and happily skipped in.

"Shhh!" I hushed, then I noticed she was dragging along a dark thin zip up bag, the type super expensive clothes or costumes were kept in.

"What's in the bag?" I asked cautiously.

"Welllllll Lela's wedding dressssss , duh!" She slurred, her tone suggesting that it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"So you disappeared for almost thirty hours to get a bridal dress?"

"Thirty hours?" She echoed, then whistled. "Wow, it's true. Alcohol really does make you lose track of time. "

"Shh!" I reinforced.

Butchy and SeaCat were now on their feet and strolling towards us.

SeaCat instantly threw his arms around her, not immediately realizing how intoxicated she was, and she stumbled and almost fell, saved by the fact that he caught her at the very last minute.

"Wow, Che, what have you been drinking?" He asked, his expression deadly serious.

"Oh this and that." Chee Chee remarked, then laughed like it was the funniest thing she'd ever said.

"Chee Chee, you're drunk." Butchy rolled his eyes.

Chee Chee looked confused.

"Am I? I..I didn't noticcccccccce." And then once again, she laughed.

I knelt down and unzipped the bag which she had discarded on the floor.

And was amazed at what I found.

The most beautiful crisp white wedding dress I had ever seen lay within the black material. It was princess style, tight at the top and flowing puff skirt as the bottom. The waist was lined with lace in the shape of vines, occasional sewn on pink flowers appearing. The entire top was glitter and the whole thing was purely stunning.

"Chee Chee…" I trailed off, not really sure what to ask her. "Where, and how did you get this."

Chee Chee groaned loudly and once again I had to tell her to be quiet.

"You're sooooo slowwww Brady. Keep up would ya!"

And again she laughed, and even repeated the phrase 'keep up would ya' to herself, as if she'd jusr told an award winning joke.

"Ahhh Brady. Sweeet, blonde haired Bradyyyyyyy-"

"Where did you get the dress?!" I was becoming increasingly frustrated against my attempts to remain calm.

"I think… I think I'm gonna hurrrlll." She pressed a palm to her mouth.

I sighed.

"Well go to the bathroom. The last thing Mack needs is puke to clean up."

I decided to leave the questions about the dress until tomorrow as Chee Chee turned on her heels and sprinted down the hall.

"I'll go with her." SeaCat muttered.

"Good idea." I praised. "She probably shouldn't be left alone if she's being sick in case she passes out. You'll have to make sure she's on her side so if she chucks again she won't choke."

SeaCat nodded and left to follow Chee Chee as Lela groaned and opened her eyes.

"What's going on?" She yawned.

"Chee Chee's home." I whispered back.

Her eyelids fluttered.

"Really?" She gasped.

"Yeah. But she's drunk. Like seriously drunk. Don't try socializing with her now."

Lela gave a half nod and rolled back over, and within seconds she was asleep again.

I tried to ignore the cringing sound of forceful vomiting and curled back up with my girlfriend on the recliner.

The moonlight coming from the window reflected the dress's sparkles and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't think of anyway Chee Chee could have possibly gotten it.

**Theories people? Review review review!**


	27. What Have You Done Now?

**Hey guys! So I guess I kind of own you an explanation as well as an apology. My internet connection broke down and I only just got a new one, that's why I haven't been updating. If it makes you feel any better it was driving me insane to! So yeah I'm really really really really really really really really really really sorry and I hope you guys didn't lose interest in this story!**

**Shout out to Your Admirer for the review that made me smile the most! THANKYOU **

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Mack's P.O.V

The best way to explain it is that it was a sixth sense.

That's what woke me three hours earlier then I would usually get up, despite the fact I'd had a rough sleep and a late night.

I opened my eyes and stifled a yawn. Everyone else slumped around the lounge room was still sound asleep, and the grandfather clock that sat in the corner read 5.05am. On the rare and odd occasions I woke up strangely early I would toss over and fall back asleep, but I could tell something wasn't right.

It was a gut feeling, that something in the house was different.

I stretched out and groaned from a sore back caused by spending the night cuddled up to Brady on a recliner.

Speaking of Brady, I suddenly realized just how difficult it was going to be to get up without waking him. I was pressed up against the back of the recliner, with Brady's body pushed up next to me and his arm wrapped around my shoulders.

Slowly sitting up, I grasped his hand and lifted his arm off me. He didn't flinch. I then slipped off the arm of the chair, accidentally –but quite forcefully- knocking into my boyfriend as I went.

He still didn't wake.

I pondered that he must have been incredibly tired, then the events of last night that had been suppressed by my tiredness.

What was the time? 3am, 4am? Some ridiculous morning hour someone had awoken Brady and I by ringing the doorbell.

Did that have something to do with this gut feeling of unease I had?

My blood ran cold.

What if that guest had been Drew? Worse, what if he had of hurt Brady?

Now that the chilling thought had inserted itself in my mind I couldn't ignore it. As carefully as I could, I cupped Brady's chin with my hand and lifted his neck, thoroughly examining his face, jaw, neck and shoulders. I couldn't see any obvious injuries, but that didn't mean Drew hadn't hit him somewhere else.

Unintentionally, I disturbed him, and he sleepily awoke.

He rubbed his eyes and blinked a few times. His gaze fell past me, too the grandfather clock.

"What are you doing up so early babe?" He mumbled.

"I'm going to the bathroom." I lied. There was no point in trying to communicate with Brady when he was half asleep, speaking from experience.

He gave an effortless nod and closed his eyes again.

I navigated my way around the jumble of bodies on the floor and tripped myself up on a large black bag sprawled on the floor.

Confused, I knelt down and opened the back, and its contents surprised me so heavily I found myself stumbling backwards.

I stood flabbergasted, forcing myself to come up with a explanation for how Lela could have already gotten a wedding dress but getting nothing.

"What's that Mack?" A chirpy voice pitched from behind me.

Giggles stood beside me and allowed a surprised gasp to leave her own lips.

"Where did that come from?" She whispered.

"When I find out, I'll let you know." I replied in an even tone.

"Chee Chee bought it home." I groggy voice commented.

Giggles and I spun in unison, both doing a double take in order to check we'd heard SeaCat correctly.

Tanner, who'd woken up just in time to hear his fellow surfer's remark, shared our puzzled expression.

Chee Chee came back?

"Chee Chee came back?" Tanner precisely echoed my thoughts.

"Last night."

"Did she ring the doorbell?" I piped suddenly.

SeaCat nodded.

So it wasn't Drew. Thank god!

"Wait, where did she get the dress?" Giggles voice was quite suspicious.

This time, SeaCat shrugged.

"Beats me. If she's stopped throwing up for now you can ask her."

"Told ya she always comes back with a hangover." A sweet voice giggled.

Lela was lying on the fold out couch, her brown eyes wide and her blue sheet balled in her fists.

"How long have you been awake love?" Tanner asked softly, placing a kiss on her forehead.

"Long enough to get the gist of the conversation. What's this about a wedding dress?"

"Chee Chee bought it home when she returned last night." Giggles explained, then quickly added "I hope we didn't wake you."

Lela gave a dismissive shake of her head.

"No, my sickness did. And how thoughtful of Chee Chee. See, she can be a good friend." She said as though she'd proven something we said was wrong.

_When she wants to be. _ I added in my head, but didn't dare say to Lela's face.

"But I'm concerned about where she got this from." SeaCat folded his arms across his chest.

"She doesn't have any money." I added.

Lela opened her mouth to say something, then closed it again, and appeared to be thinking over these points quite thoroughly.

"I guess you're right." She said in a small voice.

"So where is Chee Chee?" I asked, suddenly realizing she was nowhere to be found.

"She passed out in the bathroom last night so I carried her into your bedroom and put her own the mattress." SeaCat pointed in the direction of my room. "I figured if she spews in her sleep it's better she does it on the tiles rather than carpet, and in an empty room rather than a small space filled with people."

I nodded and agreed that he was right, although I resented the idea of having to clean up any vomit at all.

SeaCat and Giggles followed me down the hall as I went to check on Chee Chee.

I was about to open my door when it opened by itself, and a tired, ill looking Chee Chee flinched in surprise.

"Oh." She whispered. "Hello guys."

I concluded the hangover must have been very bad, for usually energetic and loud Chee Chee was now quiet and physically drained.

There was a long, awkward pause while everyone seemed to be waiting for someone else to speak, praying the wouldn't have to be the ones to break the silence.

After what felt like forever, Chee Chee sighed.

"I'm sorry." She whispered gently. "For taking off without telling you, and for coming home drunk and for…"

She trailed off and stared at her feet.

Something really wasn't right. Chee Chee was acting shy!

When she looked up again, she had tears in her eyes. Acting on instinct, I stepped forward and hugged her, although I had no idea what I was hugging her for.

"I'm in trouble." She whispered, barely audible. "I've done something really bad."

"Please don't tell me your pregnant to!" I half-joked, stepping away from her.

She didn't even crack a smile.

"No. It's much, much worse than that."

**I will only ask for six reviews on this one even though I usually ask for nine or ten I can't be to expectant after all I did miss several updates but as I told you, I couldn't help that and hopefully you forgive me. I really am sorry **


	28. And Who Are You Exactly?

**So, seriously, what's up with scientific terms? CAN'T YOU JUST SPEAK ENGLISH? Why does there have to be the name of something and then a scientific name? WHAT DIFFRENCE DOES IT MAKE IT'S STILL THE SAME THING! Sorry I've been studying scientific terms for my end of year science exam (it's nearing the end of the school year in Australia and I am Australian, for those who didn't know) and I've just about had enough of them. And algebra for my maths exam. GO HOME ALPHABET YOUR DRUNK YOU DON'T BELONG IN MATHS! Ok psycho spaz attack about studying done, now on with the story **

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Brady's P.O.V

"Mack!" I cried out, hardly awake.

It was a few minutes to seven in the morning and the tedious ringing of Mack's home phone was driving me insane.

"Mack!" I yelled again.

No answer.

With a heavy groan, I reluctantly pulled myself off the recliner and over to the phone.

"Hello?" I grumbled to whoever was on the other end. "Brady speaking."

"Hi..." A small voice said. The voice was so gentle and bleak I couldn't even tell if I was talking to a female or a male. "Is anyone by the name of McKenzie there? Or do I have the wrong number?"

Female, I decided. Defiantly female.

"I'll just go get her for you. Who's this?"

There was a very long pause, so long I actually checked three times that the line hadn't gone dead.

After a few moments, there was a gentle click, and this time the line really had gone dead. Whoever was on the other end had hung up.

"Well that was wired." I thought aloud, returning the phone to its place on the set.

I headed off towards the hall, intent on finding Mack, but I hadn't even made it a few steps before the phone rang again.

I stared at it for a few moments, unsure what to do, then I sighed and picked it up again.

"Hello?"

"Is this Brady?" The same small, timid voice replied.

"Speaking?"

Another pause.

"I'm sorry I hung up on you." The girl whispered. "I kind of freaked out. My name is Catherine. Could you put McKenzie on the phone please?"

"Sure. But she'll want to know who it is."

"Just tell her Catherine Miller is on the phone." Catherine's voice rose a little.

Catherine Miller. The name sounded oddly familiar, but I couldn't place it.

"How do you know McKenzie?" I pressed. My voice wasn't accusing, I was just simply trying to figure out where I knew her from.

"Who are you the police?" She snapped, frustration in her quiet voice rising. "Just put her on the phone!"

I didn't say anything, not arguing but also proving I wasn't putting Mack on until she told me who she was. Sensing my hesitation, Catherine released a long sigh.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be rude. Wait, what did you say your name was again?"

I frowned. She'd called back asking if it was Brady on the phone, so clearly she knew what my name was. I had a distinct feeling she was only trying to change the subject.

"Brady." I replied flatly.

"You're Mack's boyfriend, right?"

The fact that Catherine knew McKenzie went by Mack and that she had a boyfriend called Brady eased my suspicions a little. Obviously she couldn't be a total stranger.

"That's right."

"In that case, she's probably mentioned me."

Had Mack mentioned a Catherine Miller? Is that why I knew the name?

"I don't think so..."

"Maybe she referred to me as Cat?" Catherine offered. "A bit like McKenzie much prefers Mack, I prefer Cat."

Suddenly my brain clicked. The name Catherine Miller had only rung a bell, but Cat Miller registered instantly.

"You're Mack's sister!" I cried, relief pounding through me.

Cat was a twenty-four year old women who lived in New York. Mack and Cat hadn't even known the other existed until Mack was eight and Cat was fifteen. Mack's dad had left her mother and moved back to his home –New York- before Mack had even had her first birthday. When Mack lost her mother she never even considered trying to reconnect with her dad –he walked out of her life and that was his choice. It was her Aunt that, in a desperate attempt to show Mack she still had family out there, did her research and discovered fifteen year old Cat, her father's daughter and her half-sister. Like Mack, their dad had also chosen to walk out of Cat's life, and, being an only child, she found herself quite lonely growing up with only her mum as company. When she'd heard that not only did she have a sister but that sister had recently lost her mother, it was enough for her to spend her savings on a plane ticket to California. Apparently, Mack and Cat used to be really close, talking over the phone whenever they got the chance and meeting up at least once a year. But the last time Mack went to see her in New York five years ago, they'd had a huge falling out and as far as I was concerned they hadn't spoken since.

"Yes." Cat's voice had gone soft again. "Could I speak to Mack now?"

"Sure." I placed the phone face down on the kitchen bench and started to search the house.

"Mack? Mack?" I called.

"In here." Mack grouched back from her bedroom.

I pushed open the door to find her lying next to Chee Chee on the mattress, who was sound asleep.

Chee Chee! I'd completely forgotten about her.

"Do you know about the wedding dress?" I asked, suddenly realizing it hadn't been behind the lounge where I'd left it.

"Yeah." She rubbed her eyes. "I found it this morning. I tried to ask Chee Chee where she'd got it but she'd just kept crying and saying she'd done something awful but she wouldn't tell me what. Then she fell asleep so I kind of did to."

I nodded.

"Ok. Well your sisters on the phone. Can you believe it? I guess she wants to smooth the waters."

Mack's face paled.

"Excuse me?" She uttered.

"Cat's on the phone…" I said slowly.

Mack's eyes dropped, then returned to meet me.

"Brady." She whispered. "This isn't funny."

"What?"

Mack's eyes widened.

"Wait, are you serious?"

"Yes!" I insisted, a mixture of confusion and worry pulsing through my veins.

Mack inhaled sharply.

"Is she still on the phone?"

"Yes…"

"Go hang up. Now. Then call the police."

"What? Why? Did Cat do something wrong?" I remembered the falling out. Maybe it was more serious than I thought.

Next thing I knew, Mack looked as though she was desperately fighting tears.

"Cat didn't do anything wrong. But it isn't her on the phone. This is someone's idea of a sick joke."

"How do you know?"

"Because Cat died five years ago."

**Wow thankyou for all the reviews! Nine on this one? Xxxxx**


	29. Mack Is Such An Innconvinence

**No shout out, couldn't choose!**

Chapter Twenty-Nine

It took a long time before Brady said anything. His ocean blue eyes stared back at me, not daring to blink. I knew he was waiting for me to say more but my mouth had gone dry.

When Brady finally did speak, all he said was "oh."

I could tell he was quite stunned. Without another word, he disappeared from my bedroom doorway, but whether or not he did as I asked I was unsure of, for -despite my attentive listening- I couldn't hear his voice speaking to the police.

I took a moment to gather my thoughts. My heart was beating quite fast. Who would do this? Without warning, my shock melted into anger. Was this really people's idea of fun? Calling the family of murder victims pretending to be them? Causing distress and confusion for a cheap laugh?

Powered with sudden rage, I leapt off the mattress and sped down the hall. Brady was using his thumb and index finger to quickly flip through the phone book in the kitchen. He looked up when he heard me enter.

"I'm trying to find the number of the local police. I didn't really think this qualified as a 911 emergency."

"Is whoever it was still on the line?"

"No. I hung up on them like you told me to."

Without saying anything, I picked up the cordless phone and tapped the call back button, the button that returned the most recent call.

Brady eyed my suspiciously but didn't say anything. The phone rung once, twice, three times, four times, five times...

"Brady? Sorry I think the line went dead."

I gasped. Whoever this poser was, they sounded like my late sister down to a tee. She was speaking softly like Cat often did, and her voice had the same high pitched ring.

"No, it's Mack. And the line didn't go dead, Brady hung up."

There was a long pause.

"Mack? It's so good to hear your voice again!"

"I wish I could say the same. And I would if I was actually talking to my sister."

"Come again?"

I bit my lip hard. "Come again" was Cat's most used phrase.

"You heard me." I snarled. "This is funny. Who are you? And don't say Cat because Cat's dead!"

My voice had been steadily rising to the point that when I said the last word I was yelling. Struts, Lugnut and Butchy jolted awake.

There was a soft click. The poser had hung up.

"Coward." I muttered loudly, practically throwing the phone back on the set.

"I found the number for the police." Brady whispered, clearly taken back by my outburst. "08437816394."

As he read out the numbers, I punched them into the keyboard and picked up the phone.

"California police department, what can I help you with?" A too chirpy sectary sung.

"I'd like to report harassment." I said flatly.

"Alright. Your name please?"

"McKenzie."

There was a scratchy noise, like something being scrawled down on a piece of paper.

"Harassment?" Lugnut repeated.

"What happened?" Struts followed.

I waved my hand at them as a signal for them to be quiet.

"Go on." The sectary's voice seemed to have lost its spark, as though she was hoping whatever I was calling about, it wouldn't involve her having to do work.

"Someone called here pretending to be my older sister Catherine, who passed away in March 2008."

"Ok." The sectary seemed to be even less interest now.

"So I'd like to report them."

"Fine." She sighed. "What was the number?"

"I don't know. It was a blocked number."

The sectary made a noise that sounded like she was trying to suppress a groan, since obviously she wouldn't be the one who would have to track the number but she would have to fill out the paperwork to track the blocked number, which meant more work for her.

"And it what was did this person harass you?"

"What did you mean?"

"You're reporting harassment. So I'm asking you for details or I won't have enough information to fill out the report."

"Oh. Well, I don't know. It's just upsetting that someone would pretend to be Catherine, especially since her death was so tragic."

"I guess. And how many times has this person called you?"

"Just this morning."

The sectary sighed.

"Look, from what you've told me, I have to many blanks on this form. You don't have a number, there's no actual tormenting going on and it's only happened once. That's not serious enough to be considered harassment."

There was a shuffling noise that sounded like paper being scrunched, and I imagined a stick thin sectary sitting behind a desk, her blonde bun pinned high and her smart suit to tight, the phone pressed between her shoulder and her ear as she scrunched the report into a ball and tossed it into the paper bin, silently praising herself when it made it in.

"I'll make a note of you." She droned. "And if it happens again call back. But all you've described so far was a prank call. Hate to break it to you sweetie, but that isn't exactly illegal."

I said a curt thankyou and hung up, even though she had been absolutely no help at all.

"What did the police say?" Brady asked.

"I wouldn't know. Didn't talk to a police officer, just some bitch who found reporting this too much of an inconvenience to her day to do anything." Brady knew I was mad, because that was the only time I ever swore.

"Come here." He whispered, hugging me tightly. When he pulled away I realized the bikers had left, obviously not wanting to insert themselves into any more drama.

"Why didn't you tell me Cat died? When I asked about her you told me you didn't speak to her anymore because the last time you saw her you guys had a fight."

"I know." I admitted. "I told everyone that. Talking about her death was too hard."

Brady didn't press for details, for he could see that I was clearly upset.

He wrapped his arm around my shoulder and led me into my bedroom. Chee Chee wasn't in there, so I assumed she was in the shower trying to scrub off the scent of alcohol,that she absolutely reeked of.

Brady held me for a very long time, and then he kissed me. A few soft pecks progressed into a slightly forceful kiss which progressed into a make out session.

And before I had time to think about what was happening, I was reaching behind my back and popping the lock on the door.

**Nine reviews for an update! Xxxx**


	30. Wedding Dresses And Bathrooms Trouble

**Whoa… did I read that correctly? Do my eyes deceive me? THREE HUNDERED AND FIFTY EIGHT REVIEWS? SHUT UP THAT'S INSANE! Thankyou soooooo much! I think that's really only just sunk in. THANKYOU! YOU ARE ALL AMAZING!**

**While on the topic of being amazing instead of shouting out this time I am just going to say a special thankyou to Baily and Madii for being the two most incredible in the solar system. **

Chapter Thirty:

Brady's P.O.V

I was actually getting sick of pizza.

We'd had pizza more than seven times since the Wet Side Story gang rocked up, but I couldn't cook and neither could Mack and her local pizza store was quick, cheap, easy and delivered so it was our emergency save when we had no food

We were once again eating it for lunch, with Chee Chee and Lela –neither of whom could stomach any food- as the exception.

After lunch Mack mechanically scooped up the empty pizza boxes and disposed of them, then obsessively wiped over and spilled crumbs.

I told Mack to just chill out –she'd been on edge ever since the moron who'd pretended to be Cat had called this morning. Mack kept herself busy; she _thoroughly _washed the dishes, then hand dried them and neatly stacked them in some organized order on the drying rack even though they were already dry, then later when back and put them all away, reorganizing the cupboards as she went. She vacuumed and moped the entire house, change the sheets on every bed, she even cleaned all the mirrors! She went around offering to collect everyone's dirty washing, then washed them all and hung them out to dry on the porch. She started to stress out the others, people became overly nervous they'd create a mess after all the effort Mack appeared to be going to to clean the house.

But they didn't know about the phone call. And they didn't know Mack like I knew Mack.

When I questioned her about her sudden motive to clean, she'd become defensive and snapped that she was simply trying to tidy the place up and could I just leave her be?

That was another unique quality about Mack that made her. When she was nervous and trying to keep her mind off something, she cleaned. A house like hers -rarely tended to, on the beach so prone to sand and overly dusty- was the perfect atmosphere for nervous Mack. I used to joke with her that I was going to shove her in my bedroom right before an upcoming exam at school so she could clean it for me. She'd simply roll her eyes and say something along the lines of "don't you have somewhere else to be annoying?"

By about 2pm the entire house was so ridiculously spotless, but Mack wasn't finished. I tried to suppress my smirk as she stood in the lounge room, lips pursed together, brows furrowed.

"Maybe I'll dust down the TV." She though aloud.

"You did that half an hour ago sweetie." I laughed.

"Did I?" She chewed the end of her thumb. "You sure?"

"Positive."

"Oh." She folded her arms across her chest and peered out the perfectly clear windows and frowned.

"Egh. The porch is filthy! Maybe I'll go for a work and buy some wax. It could use with a good clean."

"Mack." I said, unable to control my laughter. "Seriously relax. Please. The porch is on the beach, it's only going to be sand ridden again within an hour."

Mack sighed.

"Have you seen Lela?" She said suddenly. "Maybe I'll go check on Lela and Chee Chee.

I tried to stop laughing with the realization that Mack was actually probably hoping one of them had thrown up since it would give her something else to clean up.

"Mack sit down." I sighed.

"I'm just going to check on the girls." She said, becoming defensive.

"I'll do it." I insisted, taking her shoulders and forcing her to sit on the couch.

"Don't worry." I added with a cheeky grin. "If there's any mess I won't dare clean it."

Without giving her time to refuse, I took off down the hall and slipped into her bedroom.

The room smelt overpoweringly of stale alcohol and various cleaning products, and the strange scent of vacuuming still slightly lingers.

Chee Chee was resting on the mattress watching Mack's TV and barely acknowledged my presence.

Lela and Chee Chee had both been resting in here last time Mack checked on them three hours ago, but Chee Chee now occupied the room alone.

"Where's Lela?"

"Bathroom." Chee Chee turned to me but avoided eye contact.

She'd been unusually quiet all day, which was not only concerning but just genuinely weird.

I mumbled an awkward thankyou and left as quickly as I could. I decided to check on Lela as well so I could be 100% positive everything was ok and Mack couldn't find a reason to be up on her feet again.

I knocked gently on the bathroom door and flinched with surprise at the reply.

"Who is it?" Lela practically sung. I'd assumed she'd locked herself in the bathroom because her chucking was becoming uncontrollable again, but she didn't sound sick and weak, but much more so happy and excitable.

"Umm…it's Brady. Would it be alright if I came in?"

"Yes! Come in! I have something to show you!"

I stepped into the bathroom and straight away my hands flew to my open mouth.

Lela was wearing the wedding dress Chee Chee had brought home.

Lela's face fell and her eyes dropped.

"You don't like it?" She whispered.

"Oh Lela no that's not it at all." I shook my hands. "I'm just in awe. You look so beautiful."

"Oh." Lela gigged, flashing a smile.

The dress lapped around her ankles on the floor, the princess style skirt creating a pool of fabric around her legs. The hem of the skirt hugged her tiny waist and the skin tight glitter top looked amazing and showed off cleavage and matched the twinkle in her eyes. I found it impossible to tear my eyes away.

"I don't think this is the dress the dress I'll walk down the aisle in, but I just wanted to try it on. It's a nice distraction from being sick."

"What?" I exclaimed. "You have to wear that dress! You look amazing! Tanner's the luckiest guy in the world and if he's doubted even for a second he won't when he sees you in that!"

I was constantly reminding myself that I loved Mack, but no matter what I said mentally I couldn't physically stop myself starring.

Lela's cheeks turned a rosy shade of red.

"Thanks Brady. But I don't know where Chee Chee got this. I couldn't get married in a stolen dress. It would haunt me for the rest of my life.

I knew she was right so I didn't argue. Instead, I said

"You know, I almost forgot you were pregnant. You look damn hot for a pregnant chick."

And then before I knew what was happening, her lips were on mine.

**THANKYOU!** **I just had to say that once more, cause you're all incredible. Xxxxx**


	31. Back From The Dead

Chapter Thirty-One:

Mack's P.O.V

I flicked through the channels on the TV but found it impossible to focus on anything.

I hadn't stopped thinking about Cat since the phone call this morning.

I still remembered every moment of what happened vividly.

I'd told everyone Cat and I had gotten in a fight during our last encounter, my visit to New York. Grandpa told people that as well. It was easier that way. It was easier then telling people exactly what happened, then reliving the events each and every time someone asked about her. It was technically lying and I could see Brady was hurt that I hadn't told him the truth when he'd first asked about the girl in the photos he'd found on my phone, but all the deceitfulness was worth it for those precious few seconds every now and then when I would forget my sister was dead, when I would believe my own lies.

In truth, I'd been really excited to see Cat. Her nineteenth birthday had been approaching -March 23rd- and Grandpa had decided to let me take a week off school to celebrate. I'd assumed just as Cat had done the previous year for my twelfth birthday she was flying down to California, but I got the shock of my life when my grandfather actually granted me permission to fly to New York on my own and speed the week with her.

For more than three weeks before hand I talked to Cat every night for about an hour on the phone, costing both her and my grandfather massive phone bills. We talked about everything we were going to do, all the places she was going to take me and how she was going to order in her birthday cake from an amazing bakery on her block, chocolate of course, which was our shared favourite flavour. I called her from the airport and we chatted excitedly until grandpa -much to my dismay- took the phone from me to triple check Cat would wait for me at the boarding gate, right out the front where I could see her and she could see me, and that she wouldn't let me go anywhere in New York on my own. Cat had moved into her own apartment twelve months previously - it was an eighteenth birthday present - so grandpa felt the need to be one hundred present sure she could care for me without an adult present.

Just as she had promised, Cat was right there waiting when I entered the New York Airport. Despite the fact it was two in the morning she had a bright cheery grin plastered to her face and looked no less beautiful then normal. Her jet black hair was silky and bouncy, her green eyes were sparkly and full of excitement. Her pale skin glowed against her bright red sun dress and her hight was elevated by her black heels. With my messy brunette plait, plain red t-shirt, three quarter length grey trackies, worn out runners, make up free face and slight sun kissed California skin, I felt inferior next to my glamorous half sister.

Not that she cared. Her face lit up with delight and she sprinted to hug me, and not for the first time since we'd me I felt a strong pang of jealously towards my Cat. How come she could effortlessly run in heels and I couldn't even walk in them?

I shrugged it off and hugged her back anyway.

"So, how do you like New York?" She asked, pulling away.

I laughed.

"Well I've seen the airport so far!" I giggled. "But from what I saw when the plane was flying in, it looked pretty amazing.

Cat beamed.

"You'll love it here. I'll make sure of it. I'm going to take you to all the most amazing places and then you have to tell Grandpa how much fun you have so he'll let you come back."

My grandpa, of course, wasn't related to Cat, for my grandpa was my mothers dad and my relation to Cat was we had the same father, but not the same mother. But just as Grandpa refereed to Cat as his granddaughter, she referred to him as her grandpa.

With another laugh, Cat added "you know I love you when I'm already planning your next visit here before you've even left the airport."

I smiled. I wanted Cat to love me that much. It was so hard losing my mother, and although Cat would never take over my love for mum, it was nice to have someone else to love me and care for me and whom I could love and trust and look up to.

She slithered her lengthy arm around my waist and led me towards the escalator. When we stepped off the bottom, that's when it happened.

He came out of nowhere, screaming at the top of his lungs. I large, masculine guy bolted through the floor, hotly trailed by two police officers. It wasn't until after Cat's death I found out he was a murderer on the run from the police.

The next thing I knew I was being shoved onto the ground, the wind knocked out of me. I limply hit the floor and all ounces of breath fled from me. When it finally returned and I found strength to stand up, what I found horrified me.

The criminal had Cat's neck locked in his arm. She was gasping and struggling for air, and she was in the fatal position where all he had to do was yank upwards to break her neck.

"CAT!" I remembered screaming.

"Shut up!" The criminal spat at me, then to the police "make one more move and I kill her."

My eyes widened and -too terrified to upset the murderer and further risk Cat's life- I refrained from talking but shot a pleading look to the officers. Clearly recognising the seriousness of the situation, they froze and took just a beat to long to work out a plan.

In a blur the criminal made a fast move and before my brain could register what was happening my mouth was crying out as a loud crack ripped through the air and Cat's body went limp as she hit the floor.

Even in death she looked amazing. Her black waves were wrapped around her face, her emerald eyes were large and open. Her bright red lips were slightly parted as if she was kissing someone. She laid there on her side, one arm sprawled in front of her, another laying loosely over her hip. Her dress hadn't lost its shape in the slightest - it still sat perfectly on her. Her right heel was still on, but the other had slipped away in the fall and now lingered and few centimetres away. She didn't look real, more like a painting or a doll.

I snapped back the present day when I heard Brady enter. Mentally I scolded myself for thinking about the day I'd banished from my mind.

"How are the girls?" I asked quickly, desperately seeking a distraction.

"The girls? There fine. Why wouldn't they be fine? Why would you ask that?" Brady said quickly.

I raised an eyebrow.

"Because you went to check on them?"

"Oh right. Yeah they're fine."

"Still resting?"

"Yes they're fine. I said that."

"Ok ok sorry." I said, cautious at his defensive attitude. "Are you ok?"

"Oh now you're asking if I'm ok? Gosh Mack what's with all the questioned I'm fine."

"Ok." I said, mentally concluding he was most defiantly not fine.

He narrowed his eyes at me.

"I thought you were going to go get some wax and clean the porch."

"I was until you told me not to." I was surprised he'd forgotten so quickly.

"Oh right. Well that was stupid of me. You're so right. It needs a good clean. I'll go buy the stuff then we can do it together."

"Oh oh." I giggled.

"What?" Brady snapped defensively.

"Something's defiantly bothering you. You want to clean."

Brady shrugged.

"It's a good distraction."

I could tell by the sudden wave of emotion over his face he greatly regretted saying that, probably because of what came out of my mouth next.

"What do you need distracting from?"

But Brady never answered me. Because at that moment the phone interupted us.

Clinging to the hope that it was the police with a change of heart about my complaint, I leapt off the couch and sung a hello.

"Mack? It's Cat. Please don't hang up. Just hear out. I'm alive and I'm safe."

And with that went dead.

**Ok this is probably asking waaaay to much but could we possibly get to four hundred reviews? Like usual request of nine reviews is fine but if this story hit 400 reviews i think i would pass out from excitement. thanks again for all the support! Xxxxxx **


	32. Who Kissed Who?

**WOW 408 REVIEWS? THANKYOU!**

Chapter Thirty-Two:

Brady's P.O.V

Mack quickly reached out and tapped the call back button on the landline set, then placed the telephone to her ear. She let out a frustrated groan and tapped it again, waited, then tapped it a third time.

Obviously whoever had just called her and hung up did it because they didn't want to have a proper conversation with Mack.

"Who was it?" I felt I should ask by the time Mack was reaching out to tap the button a fourth time.

"The stupid Cat impersonator again."

"What did they this time?"

Mack paused.

"That Cat was alive."

She groaned again and slammed the phone back down, then picked it back up after retrieving the sticky note that she'd scrawled the police department's number on. Once she'd punched in the numbers, she held the phone out to me expectantly.

"Could you take the call please? I can't deal with another secutary who doesn't care. I might lose my mind."

I knew Mack well enough to know she was only pretending to be cranky, I could see it in her eyes that she was actually quite upset. She muttered something about the porch and wax and disappeared with her sunglasses and handbag out the door. I placed the phone to my ear just as a sectary picked up.

"California Police Department. How may I help you?"

I told the lady that my girlfriend had called earlier reporting someone pretending to be her sister who apparently passed away, and that the same person had called back. The sectary sighed and remarked she was the same person who'd taken that call and she would get someone to look into it. She took some rough details but I could almost guarantee that passing on the report form to a police officer or investigator would go to the bottom of her priority list, underneath date night with her husband and her manicure session at the mall.

But hey, at least I could tell Mack they'd actually formed a file this time.

I hung up and collapsed on the couch, feeling like I really needed to go back in and talk to Lela but I had no clue what I'd say.

My mind unintentionally wandered back to the short, awkward and unfortunately very much so unfinished conversation that had taken place after the kiss.

Lela and I both recoiled back, our lips parted and our eyes wide.

"Brady why did you-" She started, gently touching her lips.

"Me?" I interrupted her. "_You _kissed _me!_"

"What?!" Lela looked horrified. "I'm engaged! I love Tanner. Why would I kiss you?"

"Well it certainly wasn't me. I'm in love with Mack."

"Well we weren't standing close enough to just fall into each other."

"You kissed me." I said firmly, and without giving her an opportunity for protest I'd bolted from the bathroom and into the kitchen, where I'd found Mack.

Now, sitting here on the couch, I had no idea what to think. Lela was the one to initiate the kiss, right? It couldn't have been me. I'd never do that.

But then again, neither would she.

I've never understood people who freak out over kissing their crushes. They say their crushes kissed them but now they aren't sure if it actually was their crushes kissing them or the other way around. I've always thought, how the bloody hell can you not know if it was you who kissed someone or them who kissed you, but know I understood exactly.

Back in the bathroom, the numbers of times I'd reinforced that Lela had kissed me, was it really to convince her? Or was I trying to convince myself?

I didn't get a chance to think any further because small, elegant footsteps forced me back to reality.

I looked up to find Lela. She was no longer wearing the wedding dress, but had it neatly folded in her arms. Instead she was dressed in a pair of Mack's skinny jeans ankle boots – the same one's she'd worn when she'd first arrived. I didn't recognize the loose purple single she was wearing however, perhaps she bought it that night she went to the hotel with Tanner.

Not that that was at all important right now.

Her shoulders were hunched forward and her eyes were sad, droopy, and purposely avoiding mine.

"Could we go outside and talk please Brady?" Her voice was small and fragile and her gaze tilted even further towards the ground.

"Yeah ok." I tried to sound nonchalant, but I doubted I did.

Lela stared at the back of my feet and followed me out onto the porch Mack was out buying wax to clean.

We stood in awkward silence for a minute. Two minutes. Three minutes. Four…..

Finally, Lela looked up, and I could see her eyes were red, like she'd been crying. They were also misty, like she was about to cry again.

And then, she did.

"Please." She said, her voice even tinier then before. "I really don't know what happened but please don't tell Tanner."

"Oh Lela." I cooed, quickly scooping her up in my arms.

I could breathe a sigh of relief. There was no way I kissed Lela. She kissed me and she knew it. Why else would she be feeling so guilty?

"I won't tell Tanner." I reassured.

"Thankyou and I promise I won't tell Mack."

I thought this might have been just something to ease her conscious, if she thought I didn't want Mack to know. But of course, I didn't care. I now knew it wasn't my fault so I didn't have any reason to want to keep this from my girlfriend, but I let it go anyway.

**The faster you review the faster I update. Xxxx **


	33. Mack, Drew and Chee Chee?

**Hi guys! Sorry for the late update, I have an exam tomorrow and I was studying. I know you're probably all pretty annoyed at me and just want to get on with the story but I am asking you please just to take a moment to read this. PLEASE? **

**So yesterday I made an account on something called Quotev where you can post your own original stories. I have only just made it but so far my story Made To Be Broken has gotten three likes which is pretty cool. It would be so amazing if you guys would check out my page and have a read through my story. (http):/(www).(Quotev) (KelseyGold22) is the link NOTE fanfiction doesn't allow people to post links to other sites and automatically removes them so I had to put brackets in there so it would be published. Copy and paste that link into your URL and then take out the brackets. Also add .com in between quotev and KelseyGold22 as it wouldn't let me put that in there either.**

**Made To Be Broken is a horror/thriller story as all my non-fanfiction stories are. It's quite a bit more mature then this story. I've only posted the first chapter so far but pretty much it's the story of a young girl name Sasha who is grieving over the death of two of her loved ones, one who recently died and one who died three years ago. Here's the catch. The recent death was her fault and now she has to find a way to ease her guilt, let go of the truth, mourn her loss but above all bury the truth under as many lies possible. **

**So yeah please go and have a look I have no comments on the story and no one is following me yet (as well as stories you can also post status which people can like and comment on like Facebook but instead of having friends you have followers like Twitter) but as I said I only made it yesterday. Please do check it out, it would mean more to be than you would ever know.**

Chapter Thirty-Three:

Mack's P.O.V

I walked to the corner store but didn't go inside.

During my walk I'd abounded all thoughts of waxing the porch – my hands were already sore and blistering from all the cleaning I'd done already. What I really needed was to walk and clear my head.

I walked along the beach until subconsciously and unintentionally I'd ended up in mine and Brady's old spot.

I kicked off my thongs and scurried into the cave that perched itself on the edge of the ocean. I sat down on the rocky surface and let me feet dangle into the stream of cold salty water.

It felt incredibly strange being here without Brady.

My phone vibrated and –as much as I'd convinced myself I wanted to be alone- I was quietly pleased when the screen read ONE NEW MESSAGE FROM BRADY

I opened the text and my spirits fell.

_Mack it's Chee Chee. I'm borrowing Brady's phone. Call me please? There isn't enough credit on his phone for me to call you, or else I would have. XOXO –Chee Chee _

I sighed and felt a stab of annoyance that Brady owned and iPhone, which frustratingly told the owner of the phone when you'd seen their message, so I couldn't get away with pretending I didn't hear my phone.

I flicked through my contacts and my thumb lingered over Brady's name for a little while, weighing up my options. Since every option other than calling Chee Chee seemed to make me a liar, a bad friend and a selfish brat I tapped his name and held the phone to my ear.

Chee Chee picked up after the first ring.

"Mack?" She whispered. "Where are you?"

"At the store." I lied. "Why?"

"Can people overhear you?"

_No. _I thought. _I'm in an empty cave. _

"Yes." I lied again. "But I'm leaving the store now. I'll be home in a few minutes."

I resentfully realized I'd just agreed to coming home.

"No no don't do that." She said quickly. "I think I'll struggle to tell you this in person. Just go somewhere where you can't be heard."

"Ok…" I said, weary, cautious, curious and suspicious.

I put my phone in my hand bag and tossed it around with the other objects to create the shuffling noise usually heard when the person your own the phone to is moving. After a few minutes, I reclaimed my phone and placed it back to my ear.

"Ok." I said. "I cannot be overheard."

Suddenly, there was a muffling noise, that sounded like crying. Chee Chee's voice cracked as she spoke.

"I don't remember what happened last night all that much, but I know I did something bad. I can feel the guilt and I distinctively remember regretting something I did last night."

I tried to suppress my groan. With Cat and Drew both piling themselves and our history back into my life at once (even though technically Cat herself wasn't doing anything), I couldn't listen to Chee Chee tell me again she'd done something bad but not what it was, as she had done three times already since this morning.

But what she said conflicted me. I didn't know if I was grateful that I'd picked up the phone, or I wished I hadn't.

"It had something to do with you and Drew."

"Chee Chee, elaborate. Now." My voice was firm and demanding which isn't how I would usually speak to someone who was upset, least of all a friend, but this wasn't usual. My abusive ex-boyfriend –if you could even call him that- had something to do with what Chee Chee was experiencing guilt about.

I needed to be told, and I needed to be told now.

"I'll try." Chee Chee sobbed.

I bit my tongue to avoid saying "No, you _will._"

"The night I went missing I'd been down at the beach with SeaCat, and there was a chick down there handing out flyers about her party to strangers. She dropped one as she walked passed and when SeaCat wasn't looking I folded it up and tucked it into my pocket. That's where I went."

"Figured." I replied sourly. "What's this got to do with me and Drew?"

"Well, when I showed up at her house she offered me a drink, and I think it was pretty heavily spiked because I don't remember much more than taking the first few sips. But I do remember Drew was at that party. And I also remember being alone with him in a room at one stage and him frequently mentioning your name, then I remember going along with something, thinking it was a joke – I was really drunk and my judgment of what was a good and bad idea was pretty messed up- then I remember realizing he was serious and begging him to delete it."

"Delete what?" I demanded, my anxiety rising.

"I don't know Mack. That's all I can remember. The entire time I was gone I was either wasted or passed out, and not long after the thing in the room I can recall on more than one occasion accepting drinks from Drew. I think he was trying to make sure my memory was completely wiped clean with alcohol."

"Well DUH!" I snapped. I instantly regretted being so awful but I couldn't bring myself to apologize.

There was a long silence.

"I'm sorry Mack. I don't remember anything else."

Without saying goodbye, I abruptly hung up.

A few moments later, my phone let out another beep.

Predictably, it was from Chee Chee.

_Mack please don't be mad. I'm really sorry. I'm trying to piece together the rest of the night, like where on Earth the wedding dress came from, and if I remember anything else I'll call you, I promise. I told you because I thought you had the right to know but I don't expect you to be completely forgiving, just know how sorry I am. XOXO –Chee Chee _

I sighed and knew I couldn't leave Chee Chee like that, not in the state she was in. Resentfully, I composed a message back and hit send.

_Thankyou for being honest. I'm sorry I hung up, I was just in shock. Just give me some time to think. _

I didn't get a message back, so I could only assume Chee Chee had gotten the hint.

I picked up my stuff and decided to walk for a little while longer when suddenly a thought struck me. Quickly, I retrieved my phone back from my pocket and sent Brady another text.

_Chee Chee, you didn't have your first drink until you got to the party did you?_

A split second later, I got a reply.

_No. Why?_

I breathed a sigh of relief, knowing she should have no problem answering this question.

_Where was the party? _

She sent back her answer. To her in was only an address, but to me it was so much more.

_32 Nightlife Road _

That was were Drew lived when he assaulted me. Whether or not he still lived there I didn't know, but one thing was for sure.

That couldn't be a coincidence.

**Ok people review and sorry once more for the late update, and please do checkout my other stories!**


	34. Hate You More Than Words Can Describe

**Thanks for the reads on my story guys!**

Chapter Thirty-Four

Brady's P.O.V

Chee Chee wandered out onto the porch where I was sitting and handed me back my phone. I thanked her and tried to sound casual as I asked her where Mack was. She simply shrugged in response, turned on her heels and waltzed back inside the house.

"Well someone's got their attitude back." I muttered once she was out of earshot.

I was about to dial Mack's number when my phone rang, and to my delight it was Mack.

"Hey sweetheart, I was just about to call you. Are you still at the store?" I asked, although I had great doubts Mack ever went there.

She confirmed those doubts.

"No." She said, her voice flat and emotionless. "I didn't go there."

I pretended to be surprised, for I didn't want Mack to think I didn't believe her when she told me where she was going.

"Why not?"

"I just needed to get out. I was going to go to the store but I changed my mind."

I didn't press the topic any further.

"Where are you now?"

She sighed.

"Brady, I need you. Can you meet me somewhere."

"Of course." I replied, without evening asking for more details. Mack had left here in quite a state and I didn't want her doing anything stupid. "One moment."

I placed the phone face down and slipped inside the house.

"I'm going out. I don't want to return to find this house on fire." I called out, admittedly only half-joking.

I returned outside and picked the phone back up.

"Ok. Where am I meeting you?"

"Do you know where Nightlife Road is?"

"No. Am I supposed to?"

Mack ignored my question.

"Well you know where the corner store is?"

"The one you were supposed to be at?"

There was a frustrated sigh.

"Yes Brady the one I was supposed to be at."

"Yes I know where that is."

"Ok, go around to the back of the store and turn right down an alleyway. When you come out the other side you should be on Maple Street. Turn right again and take the third left onto Clipton Drive. Walk straight ahead until you come to a pathway and take that. You'll be at the top of Nightlife Road. I'll meet you there. Got it?"

"Nope."

"What part didn't you get?"

"Ummm… all of it? Mack, I'm terrible with directions. You know that."

I swear I could almost hear Mack's palm slapping against her forehead.

"Ok." She sighed. "Just meet me at the store."

"That I can do." I laughed. "See you soon."

"Ok."

"Hey." I said, quickly catching Mack before she could hang up. "I love you. You know that right?"

"Yeah. I know." She huffed.

We said goodbye and I ended the phone call.

I walked with my thoughts spinning around in my head, going a million miles an hour. Mack was pacing back and forth out the front of the store when I arrived.

We kissed hello but I could tell her heart isn't in it.

"Ok. So where are we going?"

She raised an eyebrow at me.

"To Nightlife Road." She said, as if I should have known.

"I thought that was just a meeting place. Why are we going there?"

Mack looked left, then right, then grabbed my hand and dragged me around the back of the shop.

Quickly, she filled me in on everything Chee Chee had told her over the phone.

"That bitch!" I unintentionally cursed before I could stop myself. We didn't need Chee Chee tangling herself up in this mess as well.

"That's why we're going there." Mack said, deliberately ignoring my comment.

"Do you really want to go see Drew?"

"Yes!" Mack exclaimed. "I want to know what happened."

"Do you really think he's going to tell you?"

Mack sighed heavily and, although she didn't say anything, I knew our plans to go and see Drew were canceled.

I took her in my arms and was greatly surprised when she told me she was sorry.

"What for?"

"Well, it's just with Cat and Drew and everything I think lately I haven't been a very good girlfriend."

The guilt of my kiss with Lela stabbed me fiercely in the stomach and I knew I couldn't contain it any longer.

"Mack, there's something I need to tell you."

Mack peered up at me. Her eyes were heavy with lack of sleep. Her face was ridden with anxiety and emotional damage. She looked physically and emotionally drained but still beyond beautiful.

She was counting on me to be the one stable, dependable thing in her crazy, currently quite tragic life and I'd let her down. The more I thought about it, the more I was beginning to accept that what had happened in the bathroom had been a mutual thing, a spur of the moment, but never the less a huge mistake.

Mack needed me and I'd let her down. The least I could do was spear her from the truth.

"You're my one and only and no matter what I'll be here for you. I love you so much. That's all I needed to tell you."

Mack smiled.

"What would I do without you?"

"I don't know. Die?"

"Yes, I probably would." She giggled. She nuzzled her head into my chest and I hooked my arms around her waist. "I love you too. More than I'm cable of putting in to words."

I kissed her forehead, but as I did I couldn't help but think if she knew she'd probably hate me more than she could put into words too.

**Nine reviews and I shall update! Xxxx**


	35. Here We Go Again

**Ok guys I am going to stop with the shoutouts because I can never pick, you're all too sweet! I do sincerely apologize to one particular reader who asked me where I was from, I've forgotten your name! I am so sorry I have so many reviews to read through and I try my hardest to memorize all my fans but my memory is kind of hopeless but I'm Australian, just to answer your question. **

Chapter Thirty-Five

Mack's P.O.V

The night was as smooth as it could be.

Lela wasn't too sick, only having to rush to the bathroom a few times. By the time Brady and had talked me out of seeing Drew and coming home Chee Chee had recovered –from both her hangover and her emotional state- and she was back to her usual sarcastic, loud, uncooperative self, which, strangely enough, I was happy to see.

As arranged with his family, Brady left to have dinner at his house and returned home later than usual, at nine pm, while I was in the shower. I emerged from the bathroom dressed in my pajamas to find him lazily lying on my bed channel surfing. He quickly apologized and explained he'd mum hadn't been present for dinner as she'd been held up at work and his older sister Jasmine had taken advantage of the situation and left to go out with her friends leaving Brady in charge of his three younger siblings as soon as he'd walked through the door. Aged three, five and nine, Brady couldn't leave them unattended so he had to stay until his single mum got home. I said I understood and forgave him instantly, as I was far too happy to be upset by a tiny thing like that.

After Brady had talked me out of going to Nightlife Road we'd gone and sat on the beach underneath the afternoon sky and had a long talk about our relationship. I told him exactly how Cat had died and admitted I was still a little afraid of Drew, and he'd confessed that he and Lela had a "moment" in the bathroom but assured me it was an accident and neither of them meant for it to happen, nor will it ever happen again. It felt good to get out everything that we were keeping so we could go back to the couple who had total faith in each other and didn't keep secrets. Then we discussed Lela's pregnancy and her engagement to Tanner, SeaCat and Chee Chee's relationship and other random topics. Brady and I used to take long walks on the beach or stay up until midnight on the phone talking about nothing, but that was one of my favorite things about our relationship. We could just talk and talk and talk and never run out of topics, and it felt like so long since we'd done that. Having talked to Brady for just over an hour today on the beach and knowing we could have talked a lot longer had neither of us acknowledged the fact that we needed to be home, I felt like our relationship was back on track.

The following day we decided these four walls were containing far too much emotional stress and we all needed to get out. Naturally, the surfers suggested a day at the beach and no one objected so that was where we went.

We left home at ten am and the day was going perfectly. The girls and I lounged in the sand and soaked up the sunrays, and, although I'm hardly one for girly gossip sessions, I did enjoy some of the playful teasing and cute comments about the new relationships formed under my roof. We hardly saw the boys all day; apparently their idea of a day at the beach is to leave the girls with all the stuff and go all the way to the other end of the beach, although Tanner did come back for half an hour to help Lela get the basics of surfing right, but once she'd gained her balance and could at least stand on the surfboard he looked more than a little relieved when I offered to take over the lesson.

It was around three pm things took a turn for the worst.

Because of course, one day where nothing went nothing went wrong would be too much to ask.

The waves began to get a little hectic but that didn't stop us. In fact, that only encouraged us.

That was until; possibly one of the greatest waves I have ever seen swept over and crashed on to the beach.

At the time, I had been on the shore with Chee Chee and Struts (who stubbornly refused to get wet), while Giggles was in the water with Lela. At the other end of the ocean I could see as well as wiping out the two girls, the wave had also knocked around all six of the boys, who had all been in the water.

All swimmers went under, but one by one they popped back up. Young children were looking quite shocked, there was a group on young adult women furiously (and over dramatically) choking on the salt water, where as other people were laughing and finding it quite amusing.

But none of our friends came back up.

We waited and watched. Struts and Chee Chee, who had been basically beside themselves with laughter at the entertaining sight of watching their friends practically drown, were now quiet and still.

Sixty seconds passed. Then one hundred. One hundred and fifty.

No one had come up and I knew it was way too much of a coincidence that they were the only ones who had been trapped underneath the wave.

I ignored the lifeguards furious shouts to get out of the water as another, seemingly bigger, killer wave was approaching and ushered a greatly reluctant Chee Chee and Struts into the ocean.

We called out the various names but got no response.

"Lela?"

"Tanner?"

"Brady!"

"Butchy?"

"Lugnut?"

"Giggles!"

"SeaCat?"

"Rascal?"

Suddenly, our calls were silenced as the wave crashed and covered us.

My vision turned to a blur of crystal blue and my arms and legs flailed but all my thoughts were on my two companions. They'd grown up hating surfing and surfers. Did they even know how to swim? I doubted it.

Although it we weren't in the water long.

A strong current swooped us up and dragged us back to shore. I was about to admit that might have been a stupid idea when I realized where we were.

Surrounded by the missing surfers and bikers, we were back in Wet Side Story.


	36. Welcome To Wet Side Story Again

**Omg I just found out I'm playing the lead in the school play! Even more than writing acting is my greatest passion and I really want to be an actress when I'm older. I AM SOOOOO EXCITED!**

Chapter Thirty-Six

Brady's P.O.V

Butchy and I rushed to help the girls to their feet.

Mack blinked in utter surprise. Struts squealed. Chee Chee seemed to occupied by the fact that the wave had ruined her hair.

"We're home." Struts remarked.

"Who cares?" Chee Chee drawled. "I look like a drowned raccoon! Little wonder I hate the water!"

I looked past Mack and out to the ocean. The water was still and calm, vastly different from the California beach.

Different world, different weather.

Meaning we couldn't just dive back in and get taken back home.

"Oh my!" Lela gasped. "Mother and father will be so concerned about where we've been Butchy! We need to get home and-"

"Lela chill." I interrupted. "No time passes."

Lela let out a sigh of relief, which was the total opposite of how Mack and I felt.

"So what now?" Mack asked cautiously looking around.

"Well I don't know about you lot…." Chee Chee pulled her hair out of its bun. Glued together by salt water, it fell in a huge clump. "…But I'm going home to fix this situation."

She widely gestured to her face and hair and took off in the other direction. Although Struts and Chee Chee, hadn't anticipated getting in the water, they'd both worn bikinis so they could tan, but they'd both fully done their hair and makeup, and I was guessing they now regretted it.

Struts nodded and gestured and took off behind Chee Chee, who was wiping away black mascara smudges and walking down the beach. I was about to call out that she shouldn't just disappear _again_ and it was important Mack and I knew where she was so keep her out of trouble, when I remembered where we were.

The tables had turned. It was the Wet Side Story gang's turn to keep _us _out of trouble.

Silently –presumably everyone was thinking of what to do next- we stood and watched the pair of friends until they were just specks in the distance.

Mack sighed.

"When are the waves the biggest here?" She asked Tanner, her previously carefree and happy manner gone and replaced by her usual stressed out self.

Tanner thought for second.

"Around midday." He smiled sheepishly. "Guess you guys are stuck here for the night huh?"

"Yep." I said, popping the 'p'.

Suddenly, something in my brain clicked.

"Well, I guess your visit to California went from being extended to cut short."

I assumed that there would be zero point in them coming back to California with us, and when Mack and I left at midday the previous day –it was too late now, the afternoon sun was already setting in- we would be leaving alone.

Mack nodded.

"It was getting kind of insane anyway."

And as awesome as it had been, nobody could disagree with that statement.

"You guys can stay at my place." Lela offered quickly, then gave a little smile. "It's the least we can do, given you put us up."

By "we", I presumed she meant she and Butchy, but I was wrong.

SeaCat, Rascal, Giggles and Lugnut said goodbye and went to their respective homes in the same direction the biker girls had gone in, whilst Butchy, Lela and Tanner led us in the other direction.

We walked along the beach for a good fifteen minutes until a row of adorable, perfect story book houses painted light shades of various colours came into few. Each house had a retro car parked in the driveway, and all the cars were identical but, just as the houses, the only difference was the colour.

Mack and I shared a smile and I could tell we were only just realizing how daunting the real world must have been for these guys. Everything around here was so perfect!

But as our footsteps got closer to the houses, to our great surprise, Lela kissed her brother on the cheek, and he gave her a hug, nodded goodbye to Mack and I, and said a very forced, very curt goodbye to Tanner. He produced a key from his pocket and unlocked the door to a baby blue house, and slipped inside, while Lela ushered us away.

We followed her right to the end house, that was painted a soft yellow, rummaged for her own key inside of her purse, unlocked the door, hid the key inside one of the cups of her blue bikini top –or more to the point, Mack's bikini top- and pushed open the door.

"I still don't see how that's comfortable." Tanner laughed, walking inside.

"What's comfortable?" Lela asked, waving her hand, encouraging a very confused Mack and I to come in.

"Putting stuff in your bra. You do it all the time."

"So does Mack!" I joined in, adding my own laugh. "I don't see how it's comfortable either.

"Well when you start wearing a bra we'll let you be the judge of that, won't we Mack?" Lela's stab at humor effectively earned her a laugh from everyone in the room.

Lela gave us a brief tour, it was a two story house but it was incredibly small. Right beside the door, was a couch and an old box TV, next to that was a cramped kitchen, a staircase was in one corner and a tiny dining table in the other. Upstairs there were only two doors immediately one either side of the stairs, one that led to a bathroom and the other that led to a bedroom with a double bed and a tiny desk as the only furnishing.

The house was ideal for two people.

"Don't worry." Lela quickly assured us. "Our couch folds out to."

"Our couch?" Mack echoed, obviously thinking, as I was, Lela lived on her own.

"Yes. Tanner lives here to."

"Wow." I said, and, unable to contain the questions bothering me any longer, I asked "And you don't live with Butchy or your parents?"

"No." Lela said, her tone sharp, almost as if she was warning me not to ask why.

"Ok." I said, taking the hint.

"I see my parents regularly though. Tanner and I go there for dinner every second or third night. These are called couples houses, and are designed for two people. But my parents live in a much bigger house about ten minutes from here, so when Butchy and I lived there there was plenty of room."

I was now curious as to why Butchy and Lela had both moved out of a large home to move into such a cramped, contained space. At only seventeen and nineteen, I would suspect that they would have only been thinking about moving out. But, remembering Lela's stern tone, I just smiled and nodded.

**Ok people ten reviews and I will updated! Xxxx**


	37. Get Up We're Going Out

**Ok thankyou to all the supportive fans! I got two reviews on my previous chapter that I will admit upset me a little, people saying my story has become boring or I've ruined it by sending them back to Wet Side Story. Constructive and useful criticism is appreciated but that's just plain mean and if you find my story so boring go read another one. **

Chapter Thirty-Seven

Mack's P.O.V

Lela, Tanner, Brady and I were sitting in Lela's living room – her and Tanner on the sofa, Brady on the floor underneath the window and me on his lap- deciding what to do with dinner when the doorbell went off.

"I've got it." Tanner announced said, standing and waltzing over to the door. The second he opened it Chee Chee and Struts barged in.

"Get up slackers we're going out." Struts announced.

Lela shook her head a stifled a yawn.

"No tonight girls. I'm too tired."

Chee Chee giggled.

"Aww that's adorable." She cooed. "You think you have a choice."

Her face turned sour.

"Yeah move your ass."

Lela half smiled at her friends sarcasm.

"I'm serious." She said, gently but firmly.

"What and you think we're not?" Struts spoke in-between popping large bubbles of what smelt like grape flavored gum.

Lela didn't answer the question, but just simply said "I'm not going."

Chee Chee rolled her eyes and looked at us.

"You lovebirds are in, right?"

"I don't Chee Chee." I sighed. "It's been a big day and-"

"Exactly !" Struts cut me off. "And you can't finish a big day without a night out!"

"The annoying one's got a point." Chee Chee said, pointing over her shoulder at Struts, who pulled a face.

"I thought Rascal was the annoying one!"

"No, he's the weird one. You're the annoying one."

"Well then you're the prissy one." Struts bit back.

"Look ya both prissy, ya both annoying and ya both getting on my last nerve." Lela drawled. One thing I had noticed about Lela was she was fairly normal away from the other Rodents, but when she was with them her body language, tone of voice and use of language became rough 'n' tough biker chick.

Chee Chee rolled her eyes.

"Brady! Tanner! Boys! Give me something and help me get these old ladies out the door."

Brady looked at me for approval, to which I simply shook my head.

"Nah, Mack's not to keen. I'll stay with her." He said.

Struts groaned loudly.

"Gosh Brady ya's aren't married yet! That's when the women dominates the decisions, not now!" Suddenly, she smirked to herself and spun around to face Tanner. "And since you decided to put a ring on it, I suggest you enjoy your freedom coz your days are limited, especially if since your marrying this buzz kill."

"I am not a buzz kill!" Lela snapped.

"Well prove it and come out with us!" Chee Chee challenged.

"Well maybe I will!" Lela evened.

Chee Chee seemed satisfied with herself.

"Well if Lela's in I'm in." Tanner said naturally.

"Oh that's good." Struts giggled. "Practice now for the married years."

I sighed, trying to work out how I'd get out of this one, hoping that now Lela and Tanner were in Struts and Chee Chee wouldn't bother with us.

"Well you guys have a nice time." I tried. "I think I'll hope in the shower-"

"Oh no no no." Struts waved a slim finger in my face. "We ain't letting you off that easy."

Chee Chee flicked a strand of hair out of her eyes.

"We're going out a nine pm." She pointed to the grandfather clock in the corner. "That's three hours from now. So go have your shower, but don't you dare put your pajamas back on. You're leaving tomorrow and we probably won't see you again until Lela and Tanner's wedding."

Chee Chee's words hit me like an icy blizzard.

She was only trying to talk me into going out with her obviously, but the reality of what she said slowly dawned on me and admittedly made me a little sad. After everything that had happened in such a small period of time, I'd grown quite close to the Wet Side Story gang and I was going to miss them.

"Fine!" I sighed.

Chee Chee and Struts wooped and hi-fived.

"And since Mack is in and Brady –like Tanner- has decided to play the stuffy old husband game, Brady's obviously in too. See you at nine."

They gave tiny waves and happily skipped out of the house.

Lela closed the door behind them, and suddenly the colour from her face drained.

"What did we just agree to?" She whispered.

"You just roped us into going out with the giggle gurts." Brady waved an accusing finger at Lela, who crazy enough beamed.

"Hey!" She giggled. "That's what Butchy calls them! Giggle gurt number one and giggle gurt number two."

"Who's number one and who's number two?" Tanner laughed.

Lela shrugged.

"No idea. I don't think he knows either. He kind of just yells those names at them both when they're standing side by side."

"Ok." I groaned, reluctantly pulling myself off Brady's lap and helped him up. "I need to go have a shower. I've smelt like salt water since three pm."

"What are we supposed to wear out? We can't really go out in our swimwear."

"Well since we pretty much stole your clothes the whole time we were in California we'll lend you something." Tanner assured us.

Brady and I walked hand in and hand up the narrow staircase and entered the tiny cramped bathroom.

While Brady examined the range of sixties products under the sink I began to undress without hesitation. Despite the fact Brady and I had never gone all the way, he'd seen me naked more times than I could count on my fingers. As I remove my bikini top the scar that started at my shoulder and ran right down my back became more visible. I flinched when I realized there was still one thing I hadn't told Brady when we'd come clean about everything.

I told him the scar was from when I was a child and I'd cut myself falling on some sharp rocks, which he believed, but that wasn't true.

"Brady." I said, sudden urgency raising in my voice. He looked up at me.

"The scar on my back. It was from when Drew beat me with the chair."

He nodded and I could see he was trying not to make that big of a deal out of it, but I could tell even that tiny confession meant more to him then he was letting on.

**Ok what did you guys think? Xxxx**


	38. Night Out

**Ok before I begin I would like to address one review from Tinker Bell. I really wanted to inbox you but you are a guest so I can't. Therefore I will simply say what I need to here**

**Tinker Bell 9/27/13 . chapter 37 **

**I agree with Chloe! And yeah... when's Lela gonna have her baby? And isn't her stomach now like... fat? Hello! That's the point of pregnancy! Duh... /**

**I didn't want to be rude but are you stupid? Lela found out she was pregnant like three days ago! My mother is currently almost four months pregnant and she isn't even fat yet! You don't start showing until you've been pregnant for about five or six months and you are pregnant for nine months so no Lela is not going to have her baby after only being pregnant for three days! I try to take negative reviews as politely as I can but multiple times you have told me my story is boring. My friend Alexis was sitting beside me and read the review and just laughed and said "oh wow well no the point of pregnancy is to have a baby and if you can write a better story than I'd love to see it" well look I spend around half an hour a day on this story on top of playing a lead in my school production and homework and assignments and my life and I am in the ninth grade so yes I also have a lot of homework so if you have nothing better to do than insult this story than go find a better story.**

Chapter Thirty-Eight

Brady's P.O.V

By the time 8.45pm came around the four of us were showered and dressed. Lela's hair was in a thin braid and Mack's hair was in a side pony, dangling off the left side of her shoulder.

The doorbell rang but just as Lela was standing to answer it, it flung open and Chee Chee and Struts waltzed in.

"The door was unlocked." Struts chimed.

"We're early." Chee Chee added.

"This is a sofa." Lela pointed towards the couch, then paused. "Oh sorry, I thought we were playing the game of point out the obvious."

"Haha you're hilarious. Get up and get out the door." Chee Chee ordered.

Mack, Tanner, Lela and I stood and followed the bikers out into the cool night air.

Hovering by door was Butchy. When Tanner walked out he pointedly looked in the other direction for a moment, then directly at Lela.

"You can't drink." He said firmly.

Lela folded her arms across her chest.

"I know that Butchy." She matched his assertive –almost aggressive- tone. "I'm not an idiot."

Butchy held her gaze for a moment, almost as if he wanted to say something else, but then didn't and turned away again.

"Ok." Struts piped. "We're going now. And if you too are going to fight the whole night we'll put you in opposite ends of the bar."

Struts led the way to Big Mama's where SeaCat, Giggles, Rascal and Lugnut were waiting on the porch. Butchy's mood brightened a little when he saw Giggles, who kissed him hello.

As one massive group we entered the bar. Chee Chee disappeared into the crowd and returned a moment later holding a tray of different coloured drinks.

"Ok." She hummed, selecting a tall class containing clear fluid and handing it towards Lela.

Lela took it cautiously.

"This isn't vodka is it?"

Chee Chee rolled her eyes.

"No, it isn't, its water."

Lela nodded, but I noticed she took a long sniff of the drink before she took a sip.

"For Struts." Chee Chee said proudly handing her best friend one of two identical rainbow coloured cocktails. "Mack and Giggles." She handed mine and Butchy's girlfriend a flute of champagne each and, leaving six beers and the other cocktail, gestured for all the boys to take a beer each, possessively claiming the cocktail before we could touch it.

Mack smiled and put her glass back on the tray.

"Thanks Che, but I don't drink."

Struts put her hands on her hips.

"Ya do now!" She demanded.

I laughed.

"Guys." I said. "Seriously, Mack hates alcohol."

"Um, nobody asked you." Chee Chee clicked her fingers in my face, then glared at Mack. "One glass won't kill you."

Mack looked at her for a few long minutes.

"Half a glass." She bargained, reaching for the flute.

"Three quarters!" Struts protested.

Mack didn't answer but took a small sip. Instantly she screwed up her nose and spat it back out. The liquid splashed in a puddle around my ankles.

"Do you mind?" I cried.

Mack clasped her hand to her mouth.

"I'm so sorry sweetie." She said, but she was laughing hysterically.

I snatched the champagne of her and handed it back to the girls.

"No more of that for her or I'll end up drenched in it." Then quickly I offered "you can share my beer." Since I knew beer was the only alcohol Mack could begin to tolerate.

The night out was actually pretty fun. I coaxed Mack into having four sips of beer but after that she said she could feel the alcohol beginning to control her senses and refused to drink anymore.

Mack and I hung out with Lela in the corner since she was the only other one who wasn't getting wasted and we hardly saw the others for most of the night, but we had fun laughing and commenting about people and what they were doing in the bar. By midnight, we decided we should round up the others.

The three of us split up and found to find them. I found Chee Chee and SeaCat in a booth in the corner, heavily lost in drunken make out session. Separating them was one of the most awkward things I'd ever done, but surprisingly other than that everyone was pretty easy to get out the door.

We were walking down the steps, Giggles, Lela, Mack and I being the only ones who weren't drunk, when some stranger ran out and screamed out Struts named.

"Ohhhh yeahh." Struts slurred, giggling. "I forgot about you. Come join us."

The stranger ran down the steps and grabbed Struts hand.

"This is….. uh….." Struts laughed at the fact that she couldn't remember what appeared to be her boyfriend of the night's name.

"Mason." He jumped in for her.

"Yeahhhh Mason. He's coming home with me. C'mon Che, we live in this direction." Struts used her free hand to tug Chee Chee in the direction of the row of houses where Tanner, Lela and Butchy lived.

"No, you don't, you live in that direction." Lela grabbed them and spun them around.

"Are you sure?" Chee Chee questioned.

"I'm going to walk them home." She sighed. "Meet you there. Giggles can you stay at Butchy's tonight? I don't want him left alone."

Butchy snuggled up close to Giggles.

"Yeah." He smirked. "Can you stay at mine tonight?"

Giggles shoved him off.

"Yes." She agreed.

"Oh!" Chee Chee squealed. "SeaCat's staying with me."

SeaCat did nothing to object getting dragged along, and simply winked and Rascal and hi fived him when Chee Chee wasn't looking.

Rascal and Lugnut stumbled off behind them while Mack, Giggles and I ushered Butchy and Tanner towards the block of houses. But before we'd fully parted from the group, Chee Chee quickly spun around and called "Wait, Mack, do you know someone called Cat Miller?"

I felt Mack's hand in mine go stiff.

"Yes." Her voice was emotionless. "Why?"

Chee Chee paused.

"Oh. I don't remember why. What about someone called Drew Frank? Do you know him?"

Mack's anxiety began to visibly rise.

"Yes and so do you!" She cried.

"I do?" Chee Chee chewed her finger. "Oh yes, I do. And I know Cat to. Well goodnight."

And oblivious to the terror of Chee Chee's words, everyone continued off in their respective directions.

**Ok guys nine reviews for an update? Also my friend Alexis just gave my five dollars to let her add her own authors note so let's just see what she has to say… **

**Revisiting what Kelsey (she's the author) said earlier, if you don't like this story don't read it because I'm sick of reading all your shit. Of course no one is making me read it but shut up and stop being pansies. You're hiding behind a computer to criticize someone else's work. Even though there's only like two of you doing it it still pisses me off so cut it out. If you have constructive or useful criticism then Kelsey appreciates that but make it intelligent. **


	39. Aftermath

**Ok I know I said I'm stopping with the shout outs but I just wanted to say thankyou to GraceAnne for her amazing review and for sticking up for me and this story it meant a lot. Also I feel I should probably apologize, I got a little carried away yesterday but I was really pissed off. I promise I'm a good person and I'm not usually like that I was just really annoyed. Also someone mentioned in the reviews that the characters are too young to be drinking. I'm Australian and in Australia we don't have a legal age for drinking alcohol, but if you're a minor you must have your parents' permission and actually getting drunk is illegal until you are sixteen. So these characters that are aged 17-19 would be old enough by Australian laws and obviously I only know my own countries laws, just thought I'd clear that up.**

Chapter Thirty-Nine

Mack's P.O.V

I sat stiffly on the fold out couch, blankly starring at the switched off TV.

I heard footsteps on the stairs and at the same time I heard a key being turned in a lock. Brady appeared at the bottom of the staircase and Lela walked through the front door, and they both sat on either side of me.

"Where's Tanner?" Lela asked. Her breathing was heavy and she had beads of sweat on her forehead, so I guessed she'd run back over here.

"In bed." Brady answered.

"Oh thankyou." Lela said, and then gracefully she stood up, bent over and lightly kissed my cheek, then walked around the couch and did the same to Brady. I couldn't help but notice that he stiffened a little as she did so and then refused eye contact, and for a moment it looked as though Lela regretted it, but quickly that look was gone.

"Well goodnight." And with that she disappeared upstairs to join her husband-to-be.

"Are you alright?" Brady whispered once she was out of ear shot.

"She doesn't exist." I blurted. I couldn't contain it any longer.

Brady looked puzzled.

"Who doesn't exist?"

"Chee Chee! Lela! Tanner! Butchy! Everyone else! None of them actually exist. There characters in a freaking movie! This is insane! Some of our closest friends are fictional characters in a movie! Are we delusional?"

Brady looked stunned, but I wasn't finished.

"Ok by some magical freak of nature we ended up in a movie, then all the movie characters became real people and ended up in our world, then we went back into the movie. But how on Earth does Chee Chee know my sister? How? How is it possible?"

Brady grasped my hand tightly.

"Mack, you saw how much she'd had to drink. She has no clue what she's talking about."

"Drunk or not, she still new Cat's name."

Brady thought for a moment.

"It's possible she overheard you talking to that poser." He offered. "And her dysfunctional brain just picked a random name she'd heard somewhere and confused it with another name. Maybe she was trying to ask you if you knew someone else, and it just came out like Cat."

I wasn't convinced, but I said nothing.

There was a loud crash from upstairs and suddenly intoxicated Tanner stumbled down the stairs, his fiancé hot on his heels.

"Get away from me lady, I'm engaged!" He screamed at her.

Instantly the mood was lightened as Brady and I burst into laughter, and Lela even cracked a smile.

"Yeah I know." She said. "To Lela Heart."

"Wait, how do you know her name?" Tanner cried, jumping back.

"Because she's a close friend of mine." Lela was now struggling herself not to laugh with the conception that her and Tanner's fiancé were to different people. "And she told me you are staying here tonight."

"She did?" Tanner questioned. "Huh. Ok."

He headed back for the stairs. The three of us watched until he reached the landing, then we waited until we heard a bedroom door open and then close again before we all lost in laughing.

I was awake much earlier than everyone else the following morning. I crept off the couch and into the compact kitchen, ran myself a glass of water and stood sipping it slowly, replaying my conversation with my boyfriend that had been held at 12.30am the previous night.

Was his suggestion possible? Could Chee Chee have overheard Brady and I discussing Cat and simply muddled herself up?

I stab of guilt hit my stomach as my own words about the craziness of being friends with the cast of Wet Side Story tinkered in my ears.

I was upset, confused and tired yes, but how could I say something so cruel? Sure, there may be a movie based on them, but in reality they were just as real as Brady and I, they were just from another dimension.

Although the funny thing was, Wet Side Story was just that. A movie. And every movie has a director, a film crew, producers, and above all actors. Someone played Lela. Someone played Butchy and someone played Giggles. So how were they there own individual people?

I pushed the thoughts from my mind as they were useless. I rinsed my glass and placed it on the sink when something caught my eye.

On the kitchen counter sat on old 1962 bright red telephone, with a notepad and pen sitting beside it.

I didn't want to intrude of Lela and Tanner's privacy but curiosity got the best of me. I picked up the plain notepad. The black handwriting was girly, neat and swirly, presumably Lela's.

_Mum & Dad – 08254791563_

_Butchy – 08479513683_

_Chee Chee – 08147513947_

_Struts – 08235923354_

_Lugnut – 08563384420_

I flicked over the page. There were more phone numbers including Giggles', SeaCat's and Rascal, as well as a number that looked like it had been written rather recently – the ink from the pen hadn't fully dried so it could only have been six hours ago at the most.

_Health Clinic – 08345154112_

I assumed Lela had found the number on a business card while we were out and possibly forgotten to add it to her contacts, woken to perhaps get a glass of water and quickly scrawled down the number before returning to bed.

I flicked back to the first page and stared at Chee Chee's number for long time. Finally deciding I simply had to do it, I picked up the phone and spun the dial until it had touched all eleven digits next to Chee Chee's name.

The phone made eleven clicking noises –one to re-confirm each number as old phones did- and then began to ring.

One ring. Two rings. Three rings. Four rings. Five ring. Six rings. Seven rings….

"Hello?" A groggy, tired voice said.

"Chee Chee?"

"No. This is Emerald, her sister. Who are you?"

I purposely ignored this questioned.

"Is Chee Chee there?"

Emerald sighed and then screamed out Chee Chee's name. There was a long pause.

"Look she's sleeping off a hangover. Can you call back later?"

"No." I said firmly. "I can't. It's urgent."

There was a groan and then Emerald screamed her sister's name again.

"What?" Chee Chee mumbled from the background.

"Someone's on the phone. It's urgent apparently."

There was some shuffling, then Chee Chee's voice.

"Hello?" She muttered.

"Chee Chee? It's Mack."

"How did you get my number?" She demanded.

"I'll tell you as soon as you tell me how you know Cat Miller." My voice was equally harsh.

Suddenly, there was a loud click, then nothing but static.

"Hello?" I said. "Hello? Chee Chee? Can you hear me?"

But I was talking to myself. Chee Chee was gone.

**Review please! Xxxxx**


	40. Final Goodbye

**Ok before I begin HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO THE AMAZING MADII! Madii is one of my most loyal readers and today is her birthday so happy birthday hope you enjoy this chapter.**

Chapter Forty

Brady's P.O.V

Midday approached so fast. By the time I'd woken, it was already ten am. Lela was still sound asleep upstairs, but Tanner and Mack were awake and in the tiny corner dining table, sipping coffee. Mack looked rather anxious, presumably about Chee Chee's words the previous night, and Tanner looked washed out and hung over.

"Hey party people." I laughed, with enthusiasm that obviously annoyed the duo.

"I don't feel well." Tanner mumbled, dropping his head in his hands.

"Well that isn't surprising." I pulled up a spare chair and flopped beside them. "Dude, you drunk so much you told Lela to get away because you were engaged."

Mack cracked a smile as a horrified expression settled over Tanner's face.

"God, I didn't did I?"

Mack and I nodded, our smiles broadening with every second.

Lela was up not long after that and Tanner managed to apologize just over a hundred times to his fiancé, and she seemed to forgive him although she wouldn't let him near her lips because he smelt like stale alcohol.

After Lela and Tanner had showered, Mack and I had our showers, got dressed and by then midday was fast approaching. Lela telephoned everyone on her old 1962 phone to meet outside Big Mamas. By the time we had gotten there it was 11.45am, and the waves seemed to be big enough now.

Mack and I turned to the gang, many of whom now had tears in their eyes with the realization that we were actually leaving.

Lela was the first to recover from the initial shock and quickly sprinted over to us and threw her arms around both of us.

"I'll miss you too so much." She whispered.

Mack gasped sharply and I could tell she was trying not to cry.

"You too Lela." Mack and I agreed.

"I don't know when the wedding will be. Can you come back here in say a month? Just for a visit? We'll have a date by then."

"Absolutely." I said.

"Defiantly." Mack said at the same time.

"And I'll also have a date for when the baby is going to be born by then to. You'll come back for that as well right?"

Mack and I offered the same reassurance that we would.

When Lela finally pulled away, her face was tear streaked. I wiped her wet cheeks with my thumb as Tanner came up and put his arm around her. With his free arm, her pulled Mack into a tight hug, then me.

"I think Lela's just about said it all." He sighed. "I'll really miss you guys. We all will. I just want to say thankyou for everything you've done for Lela and I. You in particular Mack."

Mack mouthed 'you're welcome' and I could see how touched she was by being recognized.

Struts hugged us next, but surprisingly Chee Chee hung back. SeaCat and Rascal said their goodbyes, signing off by telling us 'cats to keep cool'.

Butchy hugged us both individual and thanked us for everything, and also whispered in our ear and out of earshot of his sister a thankyou for supporting Lela and taking care of her. I could see he was trying his hardest to accept that Lela was now pregnant with Tanner's baby, though I could see his relationship with Tanner would be rocky for a while.

Giggles couldn't keep herself from crying as she said goodbye, and couldn't stop thanking us for taking care of her and everyone else, and refused to let go until we'd promised about nineteen times to come back and visit.

Lugnut was the least emotional of the gang, simply shaking our hands and telling us to stay smooth, but he was Lugnut so his lack of emotion was hardly offensive.

That only left Chee Chee. She hugged me first, for quite a while actually, which was admittedly quite awkward since it was Chee Chee we were talking, but something told me she was only trying to delay having to say goodbye to Mack.

After about two long minutes, she finally pulled away and faced Mack.

"I'm sorry." She hushed under her breath. "For what I did with Drew. And for hanging up on you this morning."

Mack shook her head a few times.

"I know what I did now." Chee Chee continued. "I remember. But I can't tell you. I'm so sorry. I just can't. Hopefully one day you'll find out, and you'll be able to forgive me. I'm truly sorry."

I couldn't believe my ears. This thing Chee Chee did with Drew, she remembered? And now she wasn't telling us?

"Chee Chee please." Mack begged.

"No." Chee Chee blinked back tears. She embraced Mack and lightly kissed her cheek, then pulled away.

She stepped back and joined the group, who hadn't heard a word she'd said, and were now simply waving. I slipped my hand into hers and squeezed it, nuzzled my nose into the side of her face and whispered in her ear 'are you ready?' just as I had the first time we'd been here. Mack wiped away a few stray tears and shot a pleading look at Chee Chee, who intentionally avoided her gaze. When it was clear she wasn't saying anymore, Mack sighed and nodded yes at me.

I used my free hand to wave back at the gang, all the girls of which were now in tears. Mack used her free hand to blow a kiss as I began to lead her in the direction of the ocean.

We turned back and waved once more to our friends, then sprinted into the water. Once we were knee deep, we dived head first and began to swim out to the center.

"Ready?" I called over the roar of the upcoming wave.

"Ready!" Mack called back. She hooked her hands around my neck and kicked as hard as she could, propelling us both as well as keeping us connected.

"One…" I started, kicking harder myself.

"Two…" Mack joined in.

"Three!" We screamed together. We ducked under the huge overhead wave and allowed the salty sea water to contain us.

As Mack began to slip away I immediately reached out and grasped her wrist.

I'd let her slip away to many times this week. That was never happening again.

**Ok guys there is one more chapter to go of this story! I am quite sad to be saying goodbye to writing this story but no story can go forever right? Through this story I have made some great friends which hopefully I will keep. Feel free to inbox me if you want to or check out my other stories! Xxxxx More next chapter. How about ten reviews for the final update? Will say all my thankyous and stuff next chapter. Amazingly, this story has over 20,000 reads. I KNOW RIGHT? From the bottom of my heart thankyou so much, you are all so amazing. XOXOX – Love Kelsey **


	41. Epilogue

**PRETTY PRETTY PRETTY PRETTY PLEASE READ: **

**Ok so admit it. A lot of us skip over authors notes but I have some really important things to say so hopefully you are all reading this and I'm not just talking to myself. **

**After carefully thinking about where else I could take this story, how much I love writing this story and how much I love all of you, I am pleased to announce I AM DOING A SEQUEAL! No hints are going to be given about it just yet, only that chapter one hopefully should be posted within the next few days and I hope you will all read it but if you're sick of me by now fair enough**

**I give my apologies for such a late update but this chapter is very long – my chapters are typically 1000 words and this one is more than 3000 words. I have answered all the unanswered questions (what happened between Chee Chee and Drew, who was calling pretending to be Cat, why Lela and Butchy moved out and so on) it's all revealed in this chapter as well as the birth on Lela's baby and the wedding so yes this is quite a long chapter**

**This story has a total of more than 26,000 reads. OMG ARE YOU SERIOUS RIGHT NOW? I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH**

**And finally, I would just like to say thankyou. You guys have all taken writing fanfictions from a hobby to a part of my life. I read every review and you guys don't know how big of an impact you have had on my life. I've had days where I'm close to tears and I find a new review of someone telling me they wish they could write like me or that I'm their role model and it turns my entire day around.**

**Thankyou one more time for everything. I have made some real friends through this and I'm so glad I that my story could make such a big impact on your lives. Thankyou so much for your constant support and just know that if it hadn't been for all the positive reviews, I would have given up on this story a long time ago. **

**Enjoy and please make sure to keep an eye out for my sequel! **

Epilogue:

Mack's P.O.V

As impossible as it may seem, everything worked out in the end.

Two days before Grandpa got home I was at Brady's place helping him babysitting his little siblings when my mobile phone rang.

Brady's five year old sister Lucy and his nine year old brother Thomas were off entertaining themselves and Brady and I were in his living room watching children's TV with his three year old sister Sophie, who was sitting quietly on my lap.

My mobile started ringing and quickly I passed Sophie to her brother, picked up the phone and left the room.

"Hello?" I sung.

"McKenzie?" A formal voice addressed on the other end.

"Speaking?"

"Hello McKenzie. My name's Detective Callie Denise. How are you love?" She spoke with a thick British accent.

"Hi….." I answered wearily. "Fine. I'm fine."

"Very good. I'm returning your call about someone who allegedly called you pretending to be your late sister. Whether or not this is good news I don't know, but I can assure you this person is nothing but a poser. When these kinds of calls are made we legally have to rule out any possibility of the caller actually being who they claim to be, even if there is virtually no chance. We've received a copy of Catherine's autopsy and can confirm the girl buried is certainly her, and it defiantly wasn't her on the phone."

"Right." Was all I could bring myself to say.

"Anyway, I was wondering if you could answer a few of my basic questions. Was it defiantly a female on the other end?"

I blinked a few times.

"Yeah I guess. It sure sounded like it."

"And on what phone did this person call you?"

"My landline."

"Ok. Could I have your address please? I'll be over tomorrow to see if I can track the number."

"Sure." I said, quite pleased someone was taking me seriously. I gave her my address and she promised to be over around lunchtime.

The following day she arrived right on twelve 'o' clock. She was pleasant young petite women with dirty blonde hair and chocolate brown eyes. She worked on the phone for about forty-five minutes while I made her coffee and lunch. She thanked me dearly just as I did her and promised to keep in touch.

The next day grandpa came home and noticed I was unusually quiet, so I told him about the caller and about Drew returning, emphasizing how upset it had made me so it looked like that was the sole reason for my reservations, even though a big part of it was missing the Wet Side Story gang, but I obviously couldn't tell Grandpa that.

Later that same day Detective Denise called and said that the phone call had been made from a pay phone and she couldn't take the case any further than that, but if I received another call she would trace the number again, though she doubted it would be different. I thanked her for trying and she apologized for not being able to do more, but said if it was any use the pay phone used was at the end of Nightlife Road and asked if I knew anyone who lived in that area, and I lied and told her I didn't.

Around six pm after dinner I told Grandpa I was walking over to Brady's place to see if he wanted to go for a late night surf as we often did on Saturdays but I never went there.

I went to Nightlife Road and marched up to Drew's door.

His father opened up and a scowl settled over his features as he recognized me. Drew's parents blamed me for getting him sent away, saying I was being over dramatic and insisting Drew never forced me into being his girlfriend but I went into a willing relationship with him.

Yeah, right.

"Hello ." I said sharply. "Is Drew home?"

"Why? Why ya always gotta go lookin' for trouble aye?" He drawled.

"I'm not causing trouble, sir." I said evenly. "Drew is. He's in trouble with the police and I simply would like to talk to him."

"The police? Nah, the only time my boy's ever been in trouble with the police is cause of you!"

"Could I please just speak to your son sir?"

glared at me for a few moments before he sighed and reluctantly called Drew's name.

"McKenzie's here." He said flatly when his son appeared."Ya want me to send her home?"

"No, no it's fine." Drew said quickly. He checked his reflection in the hall mirror then ushered his dad away.

"Hey beautiful." He cooed once his father was gone. "I knew you'd come around."

"Oh save it." I spat back. "I'm only here because I know you've been calling me pretending to be Cat. Why? And how did you know about her? Talk. Now."

Drew smirked.

"You got me. It was me. Although I couldn't have done it without the help of your friend Katie."

My heart stopped.

"You mean Kristy?" I asked, though desperately hoping he'd say no.

"Yeah Kristy. That's it."

That was Chee Chee's fake name.

"Whatever she did you made her do it." I surprised myself a little at how quickly I came to her defense, but as soon as I said the words I knew they were true. Whatever it was Chee Chee found to awful to tell me, there was no way she'd done it intentionally, although she probably felt it was her fault. She didn't know Drew like I knew him. She didn't know how manipulative and deceiving he could be. He'd obviously forced her into doing something and made her feel like she'd done it intentionally.

Drew pretended to be deep in thought.

"Eh, maybe I did, maybe I didn't. But it was so easy. She was so drunk, I didn't even have to lie to her. I took her away from the party and told her straight up what we were doing – messing with you. She seemed all for it and willingly went along with everything I told her to; act happy, act sad, act anxious, speak quietly, speak loudly, laugh, pretend to cry, and I recorded it all. All I had to do then was transfer all the records of her voice in different emotions over to my computer and make it a custom voice changer, and bam! Just like that, I could use her voice – which sounded freakishly like Cat's- to call you. Course, I did bribe her with a wedding dress – I overheard something about one of your annoying entourage getting hitched."

A sour taste filled my mouth.

"You're such a sick person." I said with a shake of my head. "And how the heck did you know how Cat's voice sounded?"

Drew shrugged.

"I do my research sweetheart. I found a video of the two of you on Facebook from a while ago while I was snooping around for something to use against you. I was pretty pissed off you'd left me for that blonde bimbo. I did my research on her and found she'd passed away. I copied a whole lot of stuff from multiple memorial sites and-"

"Ok I've heard enough!" I interrupted. "You're sick and I hope you rot in hell!" I took a few steps forward.

"And if you dare talk about my boyfriend like that again, I will be the one to put you there." And with that I turned on my heels and stormed off his porch.

I was done being afraid of Drew. He just wasn't worth it.

After exactly one month since the day we'd left Wet Side Story, Brady and I met up at the beach and prepared to go back. We wondered how much had changed – had anything? I was nervous, excited, happy and anxious all at the same time as we dived underneath the biggest wave we'd seen all day and waited until we'd been swept up on the shore of 1962.

Something we'd figured out, sometimes you fluke changing dimensions, but mostly you have to think about the other world to get there.

The gang were beside themselves with excitement to see us, which was incredible, because we were just as excited. Lela appeared to have put on a pound or two, but there were no other obvious signs of her being pregnant.

They were all waiting for us when the shore came into view. Lela was rushing through the water and hugging us before we'd even stepped out of the ocean.

"We have some great news!" She squealed.

"Well, hello to you to." Brady laughed.

Lela pulled away and her eyes were bright and excitable, and she appeared to be debating whether or not to tell us her news now. After a few seconds she beamed took my hand and began dragging me to the shore and calling for Brady to follow. After we said hello to everyone, Lela shot a glance at Tanner, who gave her an encouraging nod. She took a deep breath.

"We were all really praying you'd come today, or you'd miss the wedding."

My eyes widened.

"You're getting married _today?" _

Lela giggled.

"Tomorrow." She corrected.

"Oh ok." I gasped

"Wow." Brady followed.

Lela slipped her hand back into mine.

"Come on! We've got your outfits and everything."

That night Lela hosted a slumber party (at her parent's place, the same house she had lived in the first time we came here) and Tanner hosted a guy's night at Big Mamas as they were both celebrating 'their last night of freedom'.

The following day all the girls and I were up by six am, thankfully there were no hangovers this time. Naturally, Chee Chee and Struts had gone looking for alcohol the night before, but Lela, knowing her friends, had been careful to eliminate every drop of liquor from the home and kept a careful eye on Chee Chee to make sure she didn't go missing.

Struts, Giggles, Chee Chee and I dressed into the gorgeous bridesmaids dresses Lela had chosen. They were strapless and stopped just above our knees. They were bright white and covered in black polka dots.

Our accessories consisted of white gloves and silver bangles, red headbands that pushed all hair off our faces and emerald earrings. Our hairstyles were basic – simple side pony tails. Our lips were painted bright red and our eyes were smoky. We looked like total 1960's dolls.

Lela completely outshone us all though. Not that we minded. She was the one getting married, after all.

Her hair was teased up above her head and her make-up was flawless. She was dressed in a wedding dress that completely represented her and everything she was. Instead of a traditional white ball gown, she was in a bubble gum pink dress the same length as our dresses, also strapless, decorated with diamonds. She had a flowing long white veil that trailed her as she walked and a bunch of red roses in her hands.

Her parents had only been at her house for a few minutes the previous night before they'd taken off. Things around Lela and her mum and dad seemed to be very tense, but I was expecting all tension to be gone when her parents turned back up today. After all, their little girl was getting married and was also pregnant with their first grandchild.

Wow, was I wrong.

Giggles, Chee Chee and Struts were in Lela's bedroom polishing off their manicures while Lela and I were in the kitchen laying out crackers and dip for snacks.

Tanner and Lela were getting married at two 'o' clock on the beach outside of Big Mama's, and the old grandfather clock in the corner of Lela's parents' house said it was already midday.

"So what time are you expecting your parents to be home?" I tried to sound nonchalant.

Lela looked puzzled.

"They aren't coming home Mack." She said, as though it was something I should have known. "I don't know where they've gone but I suspect they won't be returning to this part of town until after tomorrow morning when Tanner and I have left for our honeymoon."

I dipped a biscuit into sour dip and popped it in my mouth.

"Isn't your father coming to walk you down the aisle?"

"Nope. Butchy's doing that."

"Ok." _Hardly the point_. I added in my head, but refrained from saying the last bit out loud. "Don't they want to see you get married?"

"No. They don't like Tanner."

At this point it became obvious Lela's light and casual voice was a cover up.

"Why not?" I pressed, determined to get Lela to talk.

Lela sighed and took a few steps closer.

"You can keep a secret right?"

"I've gotten increasingly good at that yes."

"Mum and Dad never approved of Tanner. They said I shouldn't be mingling with surfers. Except that's a nice sum up of what they said. They screamed and yelled and swore and demanded I break up with Tanner. It actually annoyed me so much I stormed out and went and found Tanner, and that was the night we slept together. I kind of felt like I needed to prove to myself, my parents, Tanner, everyone that we were perfect for each other and what we had was love and, I don't know, at that moment sex kind of seemed like a good way to do it. I told my parents so they knew their words had no effect on me, but I didn't tell Butchy because obviously he would hunt down Tanner and lose his mind, saying I was far too young which in hindsight I probably was."

She glared at me as if to double check I wasn't judging her, but I simply nodded her on so she continued.

"My parents called me a slut and told me to get out and Butchy overheard and instantly came to my defense, even though he didn't know why I was being verbally attacked again. They told us both to go to hell so we moved out. We continue to come back here every few nights but I hardly have a relationship with my parents."

Lela was close to tears. I rushed forward and embraced her.

"Lela that's awful. You aren't a slut, let me clear that up right now. Legally your old enough to be have sex and it's not like you got pregnant to a stranger. You did it with the man you love so you have no reason to feel bad. If you parents want to banish you from their lives it's their loss. I, only the other hand, know how lucky I am to have you in my life and so does Tanner and Brady and all the girls upstairs and all the other boys know as well. We all know what a treasure you are and we'll always be here."

Lela hugged me back tightly and mumbled a thankyou at least seven times.

After that it all moved so quickly. Before long Chee Chee, Giggles, Struts and I were leading Lela down the aisle, her brother protectively at her side.

Lela and Tanner said their vows and when the priest announced that Tanner had permission to kiss the bride, I knew what I said was true. Lela and Tanner were in love and nothing would ever change that.

I watched Lela giggle as she struggled to push her veil out of the way and Tanner gently picked strands of her black hair that were stuck to her lips, and I wondered how anyone could insult them the way Lela's parents had. I then imagine Lela as a mother to her baby boy or girl, and I knew, without a shadow of a doubt, she would be the best mother in the world.

Seven months later Brady and I were back in Wet Side Story. It was the due date of Lela's child, although we knew it would be ridiculously lucky if Lela actually gave birth on her due date.

Sure enough, as we waltzed into Big Mamas to see if we could find someone we knew, we were immediately informed that that happening was a little to lucky.

Butchy and Lugnut were slumped in a booth and called out to us. We rushed over and hugged them, having not seen them since the wedding.

"Lela gave birth three days ago." Butchy told us once we were finished with our hellos. "Twin girls. You two are all she and Tanner have been talking about. They're crazy excited to show you the babies."

I held Butchy's gaze for just a beat.

"How are you?" I asked, feeling it was inappropriate to leave without asking.

Butchy gave me a small smile.

"I'm taking the fact that my baby sister is a mother a lot better than I thought I would. It helps that her daughters are just so incredibly gorgeous."

I smiled back at him and he told that his parents had permanently left town and Tanner and Lela were living in their old house. We said goodbye and headed off in that direction.

And Butchy certainly didn't lie. Once we'd had our reunion with the sixties couple and they took us through to the nursery, Brady and I were instantly smitten at the beautiful babies.

"That one's Rose, and that one's Alice." She whispered, pointing out the sleeping babies in their cots. Her face fell. "I think." She added.

"No sweetheart, that one's Rose." Tanner whispered back, pointing out the child Lela had called Alice. "That one's Alice."

Lela cocked her head to one side.

"Are you sure? Because I'm pretty sure we dressed Rose in purple and Alice in pink."

"No, we dressed Rose in pink because it went with her name. Remember? Pink roses?"

"Oh yeah. My bad."

Brady and I struggle to stifle our laughs at the new parents.

Visiting Wet Side Story became a regular thing, one every two or three weeks. Brady and I loved babysitting Alice and Rose, and Lela and Tanner were heavily appreciative. I hadn't heard from Drew since I confronted him at his porch, and part of me hoped that was because he was taken back that I'd finally stood up to him. I told Chee Chee I knew what happened with her and Drew and made sure she knew that it wasn't her fault, that Drew had taken advantage of her. Brady and I graduated from our final year of high school and ditched our graduation party to celebrate with the Wet Side Story gang instead, who had become our second family.

And for the first time in my life, I was one hundred percent happy.

Every. Single. Day.

**So this is it. My final ever authors note for Here We Go Again. I don't think there is anything left to be said, other than stay amazing and don't forget to read my sequel once it's posted, as I am writing it ue to popular demand. Wow. I actually just wrote that. It's hard to believe how many people were crushed that this story was ending and demanded a sequel. I still remember when I started writing this first chapter and posted it on fanfiction and hardly got any reviews. I was quite crushed but I had a good feeling about the story so I continued and thank god I did. I wish I could go back time and tell myself that in about two months' time I would be posting the forty-first chapter of this story, with almost six hundred reviews and more than 26,000 reads. It's 1.30am in the morning at the moment and I'm struggling to stay awake and think, and I seriously am all out of things to say. So, I guess I'm looking forward to hearing your reviews on this chapter and I'll (hopefully!) hear from you all again when I publish my sequel. Love you all. Xxxx – Kelsey **


End file.
